This Time Is Ours
by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves
Summary: Alice knows he's coming - shes always known...but is she ready for the real Jasper...he bears far more deeper, darker scars than those visible on his skin from his former time with Maria.
1. Chapter 1

**All references to Twilight are owned by Stephenie Meyer.**

**THIS TIME IS OURS**

**Jasper POV written by Nat 'Whitlock' Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 1 - Jasper POV**

You wouldn't believe how frustrating this has now become for me. My feet continue to carry me onwards, zig-zagging across the States trying to find something that I'm beginning to think cannot be found…the problem…I don't even know what it is I'm looking for. You may laugh and say that it is a hopeless case and that I'm seeking a phantom that doesn't exist, but my mind tells me that whatever it is that I am drawn to will be found, and that I must be patient and continue searching.

If I carried a map of the United States it would be unrecognizable by now, folded and unfolded several times and no doubt spattered with mud and rain. Although the good thing about returning to the north and east coast is the shortness of the sun. I can now spend more hours searching when the weather is overcast and wet.

I exhale slowly before drawing in a breath to catch the scents on the air. I've been waiting longer between feeding, dreading the next time that my thirst overtakes my other senses, the next time I find a victim and close in for the kill, the next time I feel the fear and pain of my victim whilst I feast. It's becoming harder and harder to feed, though I need to in order to keep my strength and continue searching for my phantom.

The burning ache in my throat alerts me to the fact that I need to feed again very soon and believe me when I say that I'm not looking forward to it at all. I can't hold back much longer and I increase my pace. If I can't go without feeding then a quick kill will have to suffice so that I will not be burdened with the pain and fear enveloping me from my prey.

I inhale deeply, the scents of many possibilities of a meal all hitting me at once and the burning scorching thirst continues, my mind no longer registering the chilly evening, the sound of the pouring rain splashing against the buildings and the sidewalk, all my focus has now shifted to a middle aged man who has just parked his car across the street from a diner and is now walking towards the well lit building, no doubt tempted in by the smells of human food that physically revolt me.

I cross the road also, following the man though keeping back just a little so as not to draw attention to myself too soon. The scent seeping from him causes a low rumbling growl to emit from my throat though luckily it's too low for his feeble human hearing to catch, especially over the rain that is now becoming heavier and only tempting me more as it soaks the man through, causing his scent to become more potent.

I knew I had to act quickly, in a few short seconds he would enter the diner, and within were too many witnesses, then I'd be forced to find new prey. The strengthening smell of this human in particular is all that I want now, and I act before I even gave my mind a chance to think. The man had just reached the sidewalk near the diner when I spring seemingly out of nowhere, my propulsion forcing the man into the alley beside the diner. The trashcans stood against the wall containing leftover diner food. I block out the scent of rotting garbage and easily pin the man against the wall, his eyes already betraying his shock and surprise, he thinks I merely want to rob him of his possessions and his quivering hand reaches into his pocket pulling out his wallet loaded with dollar notes. I snatch the wallet from him, burying it in my jacket pocket, I will need new clothes whilst I continue with my search and so the money will be handy. The burning ache is now a raging thirst and I can't hold myself back a second longer, I lunge forward sinking my teeth into the man's neck, one hand raised to his mouth to keep him silent as the venom begins to enter his system and the pain of it takes him, and I drink quickly, flinching when his agony and fear plunge through all my other senses.

I drop the man carefully to the floor now that his use to me is done and show him all the care he deserves. He did after all serve me well by giving me strength from his blood, and so I should not disrespect the dead. I snatch up an old blanket that had been thrown into the trash and drape it over the corpse, protecting it from rodents and the weather. Something catches my eye for a second and with my vampire speed, before the blanket could settle over the man, I pluck a pair of stylish sunglasses from his breast pocket. These too will be handy to hide my deep red eyes from the humans. I exit the alley and continue on my journey down the street, but a sharp throbbing in my head stops me right as I'm about to pass the diner door, a great pressure baring down on my head and I glance quickly through the glass door.

I see her then, a tiny pixie of a lady sat on a stool against the counter idly stirring a soda with a straw, a soda that has not been touched, and the mere sight of this stranger draws me forward to step inside the building. I place the sunglasses over my eyes as there are many humans within the diner, all keeping in from the rain no doubt, and I don't want to draw attention to myself. I draw in a breath, as that's what humans do and right now I'm playing that part, but it's then that it hits me, the pressure in my head increases, I catch her scent in that one breath…. I realise…she's not human. She's like me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - Alice POV**

I knew he was coming before he even knew it himself, over the last couple of months I'd seen brief flashes of him in my mind in all kinds of different places, but he was so indecisive in his decisions that I could not predict where he would be until today. As I stir my soda I caught sight of him in my peripheral vision just about to pass the door, he pauses when he catches sight of me and a small smile passes my lips, he enters and I take a breath, his scent has not yet reached me but I can see his blood red eyes quite clearly through the sunglasses he is wearing to shield his eyes from the humans.

I turn and hop down from the stool and start towards him, his face registers first alarm and then anger, he shifts infinitesimally into a defensive posture and this causes a wide smile to spread across my face, he thinks I'm going to attack him, but that is the farthest thing from my mind. I catch his scent and the feeling of joy, relief and something new flood through me. I see his eyes soften their intense stare as I approach and in a voice so low that the humans would not hear us I whisper, 'You've kept me waiting a long time.'

His look of surprise lasted only one hundredth of a second and then he bowed his head and said 'I'm sorry, ma'am', and the corner of his mouth turns upwards. His soft Southern accent provokes an intense longing feeling in me as I hold out my hand to him, without a word he took it and as I curled my fingers around his, a brief flash of a house surrounded by trees jumped into my mind, but that future was not yet set, first I knew that I had to save Jasper from the one enemy he still had left – himself.

'Let's go' I said and walked out of the diner, towing him behind me, he came without resistance as I turned right and headed off down the street. He keeps pace with me as we strolled at frustratingly slow speed as there were still humans around us and I see him glancing at me from time to time waiting for me to speak. We turn a corner and I know this road leads out of town so I glance quickly behind and around us to ensure we are alone and as we are, I break into a run pulling Jasper with me. We speed away from the town and as we run I once again feel the freedom overtake me and I laugh out loud, but with it brings the distant memory of the darkness, the darkness before the light I awoke to.

We were approaching some trees and once we were out of any possible human sight, I pulled Jasper to a stop and turned to face him, I reached up and removed his sunglasses and tossed them aside. 'That's much better, I can see you properly'

As he stared intently at me he asks 'What's your name?'

'Alice' I reply lightly, 'and you're Jasper', I took both his hands in my own and held them softly, brushing my finger over the back of his right hand, it felt ridged so I look down, I could see the raised crescent shaped scars of two interlocking vampire bites.

He breaks my gaze from his hand to his face as he asks 'That's right and how did you know that?' his question asked warily, the surprise that I had mentioned him by name still evident in his tone.

'Oh I see things, things that may be, if people choose it that way', I say nonchalantly looking to see his reaction.

'You can see the future?' his eyebrows raising in alarm, I nod, 'Possible future, my visions are subjective, they change according to what the subject decides'. He thinks about that for a moment, and then asked, 'So you knew where I would be today, you knew I would walk into that diner?'

'It was a possibility as long as you didn't change your mind earlier' I replied, he looked puzzled by my answer, so I smiled up at him. 'So tell me,' he said and turned his head slightly to the side 'What does the future hold for me?' I had to laugh out loud then, his question was so direct, no pretence, and I bounced up and down with excitement as I still held his hands and said 'Before I tell you anything about the future, I want to know all about your past.'

'But…..' he started to say, I released one of his hands and quickly placed my finger gently across his lips to stop him, 'No buts, if I'm going to spend the rest of eternity with you, I want to know everything…..from the beginning!'


	3. Chapter 3

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 3 - Jasper POV**

I don't really know what happened, it happened so fast that it could be nothing but a dream, a cruel possibility of hope that has never been graced upon me before. But it was hope all the same, something I had not felt in many decades, and so I took her hand with barely a hesitation and allowed her to tow me from the diner back into the rain soaked streets.

It felt like a whole day had passed before we reached the edge of town keeping at slow human speeds so as not to draw attention to ourselves, but once we were free from human eyes, she picked up her pace until we were a mere passing breeze on the now empty street. She threw her head back letting out a shrill laugh that startled me at first, I'd never in my whole immortal life, heard any vampires laugh and this would have had me alert and trying to get away from her if not for the sudden change in her emotions.

Yes, I could feel everything she herself was feeling, and with our joined hands it only increased the sensation and something had her now suddenly more sombre. It seemed to mirror how I had been feeling for so very long now, and it piqued my interest, I had to know more about her.

When we finally stopped in a crop of trees sheltered from the downpour, it was then that the stranger turned to me. She stepped closer and my body tensed instinctively though less pronounced as it had been back in the diner. My body twitched out of habit as her fingers brushed the side of my face whilst she removed my victims sunglasses in one fast fluid motion and I forced myself not to step back, not to show alarm, and not to take flight, this strange little vampire lady seemed to know more about me than I know of myself and I willed myself to stay.

I asked her name, and it was no surprise to me when her name mirrored her beauty, but the fact that she knew my own name before I had a chance to formally introduce myself certainly was a surprise. I lowered my blood red gaze to our hands whilst she traced her finger across two of my many scars and instantly felt the shame rise inside of me, there was no doubt that she felt a little of it seep from myself also, when my own emotions are strong sometimes they escape and others feel them, and so with this in mind I forced the emotions back allowing her to continue to hold my hands and I murmur a soft apology for anything she may have felt from me.

She spoke then of her gift after I prompted an answer from her, curious as to how she had been waiting for me for so long when I had not even known what I had been searching for, she needed no prompting afterwards, she continued to speak however she had me confused. If I had decided not to enter that town, not to enter that diner, then I would be wandering still, continuing to search for her and she would still wait for me to find her. That must be some rather annoying gift, decisions are made and changed all the time, at least my gift was easier to understand.

'So tell me' I tilted my head a little out of curiosity 'what does the future hold for me?'

Her words unnerved me. Spend eternity with her? I didn't even know her and she already spoke to me like she had known me since childhood in a past life. I was stuck for words for a moment as I considered what she had said. Did she speak the truth, were we destined to be together for eternity? I wanted to question it but she wouldn't budge an inch now, earlier she had let her words just seep from her, now apparently it was my turn to do the same, she wanted to know of my past but there's only so much I can tell her.

I lower my gaze to our joint hands again, swallowing slowly as I look to the scars where her finger still followed the pattern and I quickly drop my hands, they instinctively come to settle in the dip of my back, a habit I suppose from my mortal life, though I had no real memory of it, I could only assume this as when I had awoken into my immortal life I still wore a confederate soldiers uniform. I shudder at the memory and half turn away as if to leave, but my feet would not co-operate, and I did not want to leave this young lady behind, I was curious to know more of her, but she would speak of nothing else until I told her my story.

I take a small step towards a tree and stare at the ground beneath its trunk, it seemed dry enough but even then I still remove my jacket placing it on the soil and I turn to face Alice again, one hand coming from my back offering to her, and she smiled as she took it though I could see the concern in her eyes at the sight of further scars upon my arms.

I guided her to sit below the enveloping branches of the tree out of the still pouring rain and once seated, I sat beside her allowing my eyes to stray back towards the town whilst listening to the rain that was becoming heavier and pondering on what I should tell her, how much of me does she already know? My name at least, even I had not known that when I had awoken into this life. I exhale quietly, only now realising I had been holding my breath, and continue to stare away as I tell my story, not sure why I confided it all to this young lady who I knew barely anything about, but it just felt right and I hardly registered the stiffness that forced itself upon my weary body as I spoke, a stiffness brought on by the nightmares my life had become, for what I could remember of them at least.

'I…don't really remember much to be able to start at the beginning. The first thing I can remember is the pain. The burning, like the fires of hell only several times worse than I could ever imagine.'

I shuddered and looked down as I hugged my knees to my chest.

'The one who made me, Maria, she was making an army of vampires just like myself to try and take control of the southern states, I suppose with my knowledge of battle and army strategies that she changed me for such a reason as to train the new vampires in combat and to lead them into battle with the northern states. Kind of like a civil vampire war.'

I draw in a slow shuddery breath as I cautiously look to Alice now, seeing that she was listening intently, the smile gone from her face though it continued to twinkle in her eyes, I was holding her interest at least and now and again she lowered her eyes to look upon the scars on my hands, my arms or my neck and jaw line. It was at these times that I withdrew a little deeper, hugging my knees tighter to my chest almost to a point that I could have snapped my own ribs if a little more pressure was to be applied.

'The new vampires would outlive their usage after a year, their bodies wearied by battle, and so Maria would order me to destroy them so that they could be replaced by new recruits.'

I shuddered again turning my gaze back towards the town, my own hand lowering to subconsciously trace over the scars that Alice had stroked earlier, as though I could still feel the venom from the newborns I had destroyed.

'There was one that worked with me…Peter. One night in particular I had been ordered to destroy the yearlings that no longer had a use…and Peter was also to be disposed of. Maria had noticed a change in him, he had taken feelings for another, one that was barely 6 months old…Charlotte her name was. I was ordered to destroy them both but I could not bring myself to do it. I let them free knowing I would pay greatly for what I had done, but at least they were free from this wretched life that Maria bore us all into.'

A shiver ran down my spine and I dropped my hand quickly from where it had still been tracing the scars.

'I was locked away for three weeks until I was so ravenous with the thirst that I could have massacred several villages in just one night. And each night that I continued with my punishment, Maria would come to me, she would bite me every night letting the venom be punishment almost enough.'

My hand raised to touch a scar on my neck and again I dropped my hand quickly glancing to Alice, tapping into her emotions just for a moment to be sure I was not frightening her. There was some fear in her feelings and I look away again deciding to cut the long story short.

'I became rather depressed a few years later and I could sense that Maria was tiring of me, I would be destroyed if I lingered any longer, I needed to get away, and so one overcast morning I made my escape and never looked back. I've been wandering this country ever since…searching for you so it would seem.'

My eyes met Alice's for a quick second and another tremble ran the length of my body as I loosened the grip of my knees allowing my legs to straighten out again, the dull throb in my ribs lessening with the relief of not being crushed.

'Forgive me, I know nothing more really, I believe that with the monster that took over me and my…depression…my human memories were lost. I know only my name and that I was a Major in the confederate army…and that I died in 1863.'

I couldn't help the overwhelming sadness and depression that caressed its way around me again now from having to relive my past for Alice, I only noticed that it was effecting her also when a soft sob broke the lingering silence and I quickly forced the pain I was feeling back inside expressing a soothing calm upon Alice to make amends for what she had just felt.

'I'm sorry, Ma'am'


	4. Chapter 4

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 4 - Alices POV**

As Jasper talked and recounted his memories, several times when he was speaking waves of emotion flooded through me, sadness, anger, hate, more sadness, the strength of the feelings hit me in a way I had never felt before and I wondered where their depths had lain within me. They overwhelmed me and a slight tearless sob broke from my lips.

'I'm sorry, Ma'am' Jasper whispered and almost immediately the feelings started to dissipate and a sense of calm filled me.

'Are you doing that?' I asked him. 'Doing what?' he replied puzzled, 'I think I can feel your emotions' even as I spoke the words my mind doubted the validity of my assumption, was it possible?

Jasper looked at me for along moment, 'Yes it appears my gift is to not only feel the emotions of those around me but to also project what I'm feeling onto others and influence their feelings by my own'. 'Oh' was all I could say for a moment as this information sunk in and the realization of it struck a chord in me.

I turned to him then and took his hand in mine, I knew what I had to do, this sad, beautiful man scarred in more ways than just his skin was more like me then any one I had ever encountered, he had no idea how to release himself from the nightmare of the past he found himself in, a nightmare I had managed to escape from myself.

I kept my eyes on his hand at first, the plan playing out in my head, in flickers of images of the future, our future, culminating once again in the sight of the white house surrounded by trees only this time Jasper and myself were standing near a river behind the house hand in hand.

My mind was set now, whatever it took, whatever the cost I was going to set him free from his misery, I could never erase the memories, but I would show him something stronger, something that I myself had only discovered in the not too distant past, like the joy in the things around me, the beauty of flowers, their scent arousing a warm feeling within me, the way the rain sometimes sounded like music in my head as it fell through the trees in the forest.

'Alice?' The sound of Jasper saying my name brought me back to the present and I realised that I was staring blankly as I usually did when the visions appeared to me.

'So much pain and sadness, we are going to have to do something about that,' I took my gaze from his hand and brought it into line with his, a small smile played on my lips as I spoke, a deep look of concern was masking his face, I raised my free hand and placed it against his cheek, I felt him momentarily stiffen, then he relaxed.

'Jasper, you can trust me, I would never hurt you,' Another wave of the warm feeling rose up in me, and as I took in a deep breath his scent hit me and for the first time I realised why it had seemed vaguely familiar to me back at the diner, it was like the scent of roses, a sweetness mixed with the scent of damp moss, like he had lain in a mossy meadow in the rain for decades.

The warm feeling had taken over me completely now along with a sudden urge, I wanted him to trust me, I needed him to trust me, his eyes bore into me locked with mine as I moved forward bringing my face closer and closer to his, I heard him take a short sharp breath, as I closed the remaining gap between us and softly pressed my lips to his.

He did not react immediately, I had taken him by surprise again no doubt, so I slowly and carefully slid my hand from his cheek to around his neck and pulled myself closer still, the need in me now so powerful I was lost in it. I felt his lips react to mine and a fresh wave of intense emotion pulsed through me and this time I knew that I had awoken something in him too.


	5. Chapter 5

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**(Authors note – a big thank you for all the reviews so far! - Lesa)**

**Chapter 5 - Jasper POV**

'Alice?'

I felt nervous. Alice had gone very quiet, her eyes glazed as she stared blankly at me, it was unnerving and I glanced around quickly considering to make an escape, but before that thought could pass my mind her voice broke through again, that musical angelic voice and I turned my attention back to her. Alice's words again unnerved me, she seemed so determined to help me when all she knew of me was what I had just told her and of her I knew nothing but her name.

She raised her hand then and my body stiffened as though waiting to be slapped, an instinct I would not easily grow out of any time soon. Maria had been violent. Loving and giving yes, but when things had not gone her way I always felt the wrath.

Alice's hand came to rest, so gentle and comforting upon my face, but still I could not help the stiffness that came over me. However, her touch was so loving and kind that I soon forced my muscles to relax after seeing the worried and confused look in her eyes.

She said I could trust her, that she would never hurt me. I knew nothing of her and yet her tone of voice was convincing. She was nothing like Maria had been, this sweet angel that I had stumbled upon. Another tremble ran up my spine as a new emotion seeped from her. A feeling of determination, of want, and she slowly began to close the gap between us.

I pulled in a quick sharp breath as I realised what that other emotion, previously undetected, was that was pouring from her as she got closer. It was lust. Something I had not felt aimed at me, or that I had aimed at another, for a very long time.

To say I was shocked was an understatement, and I couldn't object, her lips were already on mine and she moved her hand from my face to my neck to hold me closer to her as she continued. The feelings of lust were increasing from her and as hard as I willed myself not to react, it was a futile attempt.

I pushed against her now until we were in a heap on the damp ground, my jacket forgotten, kicked to the side as I kissed her with as much lust for passion as she was showing. Of course, my gift didn't help in the slightest, I had been taken by surprise and sometimes when that happens, my gift seeps out, the feelings filling others without my meaning them to.

Her fingers had snaked into my wet hair, pinning my lips to hers as I searched access, which she willingly gave, our tongues dancing together as the passion increased. I knew this was wrong. It was very wrong. This was not like me, I was always so well reserved, a gentleman if I was still classed as that considering I could no longer breathe, and this should not have been happening. It felt like I was taking advantage, though she offered herself so freely, and the same thought echoed around my head: Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.

It was not until she had lowered her hands from my hair to the buttons on my shirt that I wrenched myself backwards, moving with such speed that it took me slamming into the tree a short distance away in order to stop me. I looked up, the tree was vibrating dangerously as though it would topple at any moment, but then it stilled and I lowered my gaze to the ground.

'Forgive me…that was very wrong of me, I should not have taken advantage.'

I darted my eyes in every direction. The rain still fell heavily, it would remain dark for another few hours at least and I could make my escape if I left now, being well away before daylight, but something held me in place. I could feel the sadness drifting like an angry tide from Alice, and I raised my eyes back to meet hers, she looked so lost, so helpless and so alone. I couldn't help the twinge of pain that began in my chest where my immobile heart rested. I could not leave her. As little as I knew of her she still must mean something to me or I would not have been drawn to finding her for so long.

'Alice…please don't be upset. I should not have allowed myself to become carried away like that.'

I took a slow, almost uncertain, step back towards her whilst pulsating forward a soothing calm, wanting desperately to comfort her, I hated to see her so sad and vowed myself that I would not allow myself to see such a look on her face again. If eternity together with this strange little angel was what awaited me, then I would see to it that I never again caused her any upset if it was in my power not to.

I knelt softly before her, reaching out to cup her joined hands in one of mine. My own eyes must have betrayed how I felt at this moment, a rotten mess for doing what I had done, guilt, and pain at seeing her in such a state.

'Alice, please forgive me.'


	6. Chapter 6

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 6 - Alice POV**

The feeling was so intense and overwhelming I had never felt anything so powerful for as long as I could remember. As our kiss deepened and when our tongues met it was like a flame had been ignited, an unquenchable fire burned inside me. He was so close pressed against me and I could feel the warmth of our proximity as I moved my hands down from my grip on his hair, down his neck to his shirt, my fingers taking on a life of their own.

Then half a second later he was gone, he'd pulled sharply away from me hitting a tree in his haste to retreat as if I had pushed him away.

The heat in me subsided as quickly as it had arisen and an emptiness took over, I guess my face took on a sad expression, I was momentarily dazed by his obvious rejection until he started asking me to forgive him. I could see a look of panic cross his face, his eyes looking for an escape.

No, No, No, what had I done? My mind screamed at me, I had taken him too far, maybe I had misread him somehow and he regretted his loss of control or maybe it had resurrected some painful memory that he felt compelled to remove himself from.

He thought he had taken advantage of me? Well he had that backwards….. hadn't I not been the one to take advantage? I looked at him now at a loss for words and unable to move from where I was. He could feel my discomfort that was obvious, now he was blaming himself, he approached slowly, and knelt beside me, taking both my hands in one of his, the anger in me was subsiding too, I could see in his eyes that he was fighting his own emotions.

'Alice please forgive me' he whispered and the pain in his voice was plain although he was trying his best to keep it hidden.

'Jasper no, no, this is all my fault', I shook my head my glance cast down, ' I've waited so long for you I don't know what came over me, you have nothing to apologise to me for, I'm so sorry. Can you forgive _me_?' I looked back at his face then to see his reaction to my plea.

The warm feeling was returning but I fought furiously to control it now, I would not be so rash again. I had almost put everything in jeopardy.

'Of course' he answered. His face was concerned, but then his expression lessened, maybe I could salvage something after all.

Quickly I made a choice.

'I want to show you something, let's go.' I said as I removed one of my hands from his and rose to my feet grabbing his jacket which was still beside me on the ground with my free hand on the way up. He got up too, with a puzzled look on his face, he was probably wondering what I was up to now. I smiled at him.

'Come on, lets go!' I threw his jacket over my shoulder and I took off running again, tugging Jaspers hand as I went, to encourage him to follow which he did.

We made our way first north east for a time then turned north west, I kept us at a fast pace, I wanted to get there before the dawn broke. I kept my eyes ahead, a look of determination on my face, but I stole a couple of glances at Jasper running beside me out of the corner of my eye. His face was impassive. We kept going at blinding speed, the countryside flashing past us until we finally arrived at the northern most tip of the lake just as the sky on the low horizon was beginning to pale.

I stopped us on the shore of the lake, the water was softly lapping at its edge, but I kept us near to the trees with them directly behind us in case we needed to make a quick escape if any humans arrived.

Jasper was watching me, curiosity etched on his face, wondering what we were doing here no doubt, waiting for me to speak.

I watched the horizon, the first pale orange light was just starting to show, I could see the haze of the ultraviolet above it shimmering. It was starting.

'Jasper, watch.' I said as I pointed towards what I was seeing, he turned his gaze also to the horizon and he stood very still, although subconsciously it looked to me, I could see he moved his hands behind his back and clasped them together.

We watched, the sun made its slow progress over the horizon, the sky turned a myriad of different colours, the light reflecting off the clouds, turning them flame red with black edges, the pale oranges of the low horizon contrasting starkly with the bright yellows and reds streaking across the upper skyline, patches of pale blue in between where there were no clouds and the reflection of it all in the water…. but that image was constantly moving, flowing because of the waters motion .

It was fascinating to me to see the changing shift of the sky, the awakening of another day, it reminded me of my own awakening, the first time I looked into the world of light after being in the dark for so long, the brightness, the intense light, sparkling, shimmering and so clear with vampire eyes, the wonder of it all as I looked around that first time and a small smile crossed my lips. I sighed as the memory played out in my mind.

'Beautiful' I said and turned to Jasper.

He was already looking at me, I had no idea for how long he had been like that however, before I had turned towards him as I had been lost in my memory. The sunlight had now reached us and was bouncing and dancing off our skin like a thousand sparkling gems.

Jasper smiled at me, 'Beautiful indeed' was his reply.


	7. Chapter 7

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves **

**Chapter 7 - Jasper POV**

Alice pulled me along for what seemed like an eternity. I was too focused on her beauty to pay much attention to where she took me, and if this life truly was hell then I'd go through everything I had ever done, the bad childhood, the civil war, the newborns and the thousands of murders I had committed to live through this day again just to be with Alice.

I watched my jacket, thrown over her slender shoulders, moving in sync with her as she ran ahead of me and I only became aware of the fact that the rain had stopped and the storm passed, left far behind us in a different state all together, when Alice came to a halt on the edge of a lake.

I let my eyes wander then, turning my attention unwillingly from her so I could check my surroundings. The lake sat icy cold in the valley between the twin peak mountains, their reflections clear in the motionless waters, the snow on their peaks glistening in the soft orange glow that became lighter on the horizon.

I looked to Alice then, confusion written on my face if not visible in my eyes. I wondered why she had brought me here. It was a place unlike anything I had ever seen before, we didn't have mountains and lakes in the south, nothing as beautiful as this, and yet this did not hold my interest. Alice was smiling at me again and I became lost in her deep amber eyes, but she looked away from me then to gesture to the horizon.

'Jasper, watch'

I unwillingly turned my eyes from her then to watch what she pointed at, and that's when I realised why she had bought me here. It had been so long since I had seen the sunrise. It had always been too dangerous to go out in the sunlight in Texas. The last time I had seen a sunrise had been on the morning of my death. I remembered it quiet clearly, the only real memory I had of my human life.

The morning had been hazy, the heat still thick in the air not even cooled down during the night, and I had watched as the sun rose pale through the haze on the horizon. I had thought it perfect that day. I had been given an assignment to lead my regiment and I thought it the perfect day in my life, it would have been if not for coming across the three temptresses on that same night.

I shudder involuntarily at the memory as I watched the sun rise higher in the sky between the mountains, lowering my gaze to the reflection cast in the deep waters of the lake. Even that perfect sunrise from my past did not compare to the one I witnessed now, and the biggest reason for that stood beside me, her tinkling voice snapping me from my thoughts and bringing me back to the present.

'Beautiful'

That one simple word was enough to chase away the nightmares of my past for now and a small smile reached my lips as I looked upon Alice. She seemed almost surprised that I was watching her, as though she had been caught doing something she shouldn't have been, but it wasn't the surprise I felt flowing from her now that held me, caught staring at her. It was the dancing lights upon her crystal skin, casting rainbow effect reflections that kept me captivated and I spoke without my mind thinking.

'Beautiful indeed'

I watched as she smiled and shyly looked down, I could feel the slight embarrassment take over her initial surprise, but I ignored it. My feet were moving before I could stop myself and I found myself standing before this glimmering beauty. As long as I could remember I had always been in control of my own physical actions, but within the few hours I had been with Alice I had found myself speaking without thinking through my words, moving without instructing my body to do so, and reacting to her in a way I had never done to anyone before.

I raised my hand, the sunlight catching on my skin, bouncing rainbow shimmers between us as I placed the tips of my fingers gently under her chin to have her raise her head again so that my eyes could meet hers once more. There was something about her that it had taken me until now to understand. A frown crossed my face and I dropped my hand quickly, turning away and moving to the waters edge, looking down at my reflection.

It had been decades since I had last seen myself reflected in anything, and I looked so much different now than I remembered. I was thinner, a bit more muscular, my skin deathly white causing the many scars to stand out stark against my pale throat, neck and arms. Another shudder ran through my body as I raised my eyes further up the reflection.

My hair was dry now after the run from the storm, the honey golden locks taking a spiky sort of appearance, but it was my eyes that I became drawn to the most. My hungry crimson eyes, with a slight purple bruised effect beneath them. So different from the gorgeous eyes so nearby to me. Alice's amber eyes that held me captive, I had never seen a vampire with eyes like hers. All the ones I had seen were crimson like my own, or jet black with excessive hunger. I looked closer now and saw the black flecks in my eyes, and the burn in my throat only increased my awareness to the thirst I was beginning to feel.

I closed my eyes then, taking a deep breath of unneeded air before slowly opening my eyes again. The horrid reflection still stood before me in the water, the eyes holding more black flecks. I couldn't contain the growl that escaped me now, and in a quick movement I had caught up a rock from the waters edge, throwing it with so much force at my reflection that the image shattered as water spread in all directions, soaking me through again but I did not care.

I turned away before the water had a chance to settle again and turned my eyes back upon the sun as it raised higher along the side of the mountains, its light glistening on the snow the same as it did upon Alice's skin and my own. I could feel the worry course from Alice. It hit me hard leaving me with a pressure headache, but this soon faded as she approached me, her worry turning to pity and I couldn't hold myself back now, I turned on her releasing an almost vicious growl that echoed around the valley.

'Don't pity me! I don't deserve it!'

The pity was quickly replaced by fear and I turned away clutching a hand into my hair at the temple. I didn't want her to be afraid of me, but most of all I didn't want her pity of what I was. A total monster who had slaughtered so many, and yet she pitied me? She should pity my victims, the families of my victims, and most of all herself for ever coming upon me, for ever having the will to wait for me so long only to find out how much of a monster, a beast, I truly am.

I dropped to my knees then, my back to her and kept my eyes clenched closed, caught between her fear of me and my fear of myself the image in the water. I felt lost but with no destination to be lost from. I shuddered as a sob escaped my throat.

The burn was aching as much as ever. I felt so thirsty and yet so afraid to become like that which I feared again. My body tensed with a flinch as a light touch upon my cheek alerted me to Alice's proximity. I had been too caught up in my own emotions to feel hers change and to even sense her approach, and as I slowly looked to her now with pained eyes, I saw the pain mirrored within hers.

I drew in a quick breath, almost a gasp, at the sight of those eyes. Those beautiful amber eyes that showed pain. I lowered my hands quickly from my hair, letting them drop to rest on my bended knees as I emotionally groped around her mind, trying to see if she was in real pain, pain that perhaps she had felt from me if my guard had been down and my emotions had escaped, filtering into her.

But I felt nothing. No pain, just sadness. She was sad? I scared her, she shouldn't be sad, she should be half way across the state getting the hell away from me, and yet here she was, knelt beside me.

I flinched as her cold hand brushed mine, raising it from my knee to join hers. I began to tremble, closing my eyes again as I lowered my head, feeling ashamed of how I had acted around her, but most of all ashamed for causing her alarm.

'I'm sorry, ma'am. Forgive me I meant not to scare you.'

Her soft chuckle surprised me, shocking me into opening my eyes again, but before I could raise my head to see what had her humoured, her fingertips already touched my chin raising my gaze to hers. Again I saw her eyes, amber and glistening in the early morning light, and the twinge of pain speared through my un-beating heart again. I couldn't understand why a beauty such as this lady knelt before me would abandon everything she had for a useless guy like myself, it seemed pointless. I tried to look away but her fingers held me in place.

'Jasper. You look like a sad, lost little puppy' Her voice still betrayed her humour. 'Please talk to me, tell me what is wrong?'

A tremble ran through my body. She spoke so softly to me. After what I had done earlier this day and just now and still she spoke lovingly to me. I moved forward then, another soft sob escaping me as my forehead came to rest against hers. Her hand raising to the back of my neck to hold me gently there.

'I…I don't want to be a monster anymore. It hurts.'

My eyes had closed again. I felt ashamed for everything I had ever done and I didn't deserve to look into those beautiful eyes again. I had already stolen too many glances into their depths.

'Jazz. You don't have to be that monster anymore. I believe that is why you were destined to find me and I was destined to wait.'

I faltered a little, leaning back now though her hand remained resting upon my neck. I opened my eyes searching hers, my own must have betrayed my confusion as she too now expressed concern.

'Is something wrong?'

I shook my head slowly though the look still didn't leave my eyes.

'Jazz?'

I asked warily, the slightest hint of amusement in my voice now. I watched as Alice smiled and her concerned emotions quickly switched to humour again.

'You don't like the pet name I chose for you? I've been thinking it up for so long whilst I was waiting for you.'

I could only smile now as I leaned forward again to rest my forehead once more against hers, enjoying the closeness, the connection, able to feel her stronger through touch.

'No'

It came out as a whisper as I leant a little closer pressing one small kiss to her lips, so lightly it could barely be felt by either of us but it was there at least. I didn't want to push any further, not after how quickly I had been possessed by her passion just a few hours earlier.

'No, it's fine. Jazz…I kind of like it.'


	8. Chapter 8

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves **

**Chapter 8 - Alice Pov**

His reaction to the sun rise or so that's what I had first thought, both surprised and scared me initially. His fury emanated from him like a black wave as he threw the stone into the lake with such force his reflection disappeared in the resulting tumult. Then when he had asked me not to pity him and the pain of something he was thinking, was so evidently etched on his face that even if I had not been able to feel it from the result of his gift, I would have been taken over by it, it was so strong.

No, I thought, I must not let myself sink back into that black hole, the reminder of the darkness of a former life, I would not let either of us remain there for long. As he knelt on the ground and I went to him, touching his hand again I saw a flicker of what was to come, and as he was apologising to me yet again for his actions, a small chuckle passed my lips.

As we talked and I was trying to get him to open up to me, to pull him back from the precipice he seemed to always have one foot in, the close proximity of him again threatened to stir my earlier feelings, he said something that struck a chord in me as surely as if he had physically hit me.

'I…I don't want to be a monster anymore. It hurts.'

So that was it, a small confirmation at least of what was on his mind, I understood that with perfect clarity, the guilt, the repulsion at what we had become not of our own choosing and the irony it presented in that something that we had once been…. humans….were now our food.

As I spoke again and unthinkingly as if I had done so for many years, used the short endearing version of his name out loud now for the first time, that I had thought of so long ago, his gazed narrowed at me at first but I could hear the humour in his voice as he repeated it and I laughed.

He liked it, I knew he would and as our lips touched for the briefest of moments, and I caught the full force of his scent again, it took all my strength not to crush him to me once again. As I reluctantly drew back from him, and stared into his eyes, those red angry tormented eyes, it had all but escaped my notice until that moment, the black flecks which were now so prominent.

'We need to go' I said as I got to my feet, the clouds had now passed in front of the sun and the sky no longer was the brilliant array of colours that it had been earlier, now was a good time to move, we would be less conspicuous.

He rose to his feet too, a questioning look on his face, 'What next?' he was thinking, 'What more could there be?' He didn't voice it so I gave no comment on where we were going, he would just to have to wait and find out.

I took off running again, along the shore line for a while and then turned into the forest and heading eastwards, Jasper was keeping pace, I could see him in my eyeline to my right but he continued to say nothing for quite some time.

After a couple of hours had past and we had remained quiet but still moving, ghosting in and out of the forest and across the countryside wary not to be spotted by anyone, he suddenly asked 'Alice where are we going?'

'To hunt, your thirsty'

He stopped dead in his tracks and as I wheeled around I saw that look, the panic and confusion had crossed his face again as it had before like trapped prey trying to escape.

I was back to him in an instant, both palms on his cheeks, 'Ssshhh Jazz, its alright, its alright' I fussed holding his face securely so that he had to look at me.

'No….. I….. can't….. do this' he said slowly and deliberately and I could feel that he was trying to back away from me, but I stood firm, just slightly increasing the pressure on his cheeks to hold him still, I could feel his tension coursing through me intensified through my hands.

'Jazz,' I made my voice light, staring back at him never breaking contact with his eyes and I waited for a moment. 'Please, I don't want to hurt you, but you must feed, will you come with me?'

I waited again, his tension began very gradually to ease just a bit, but he was still unsure. I wanted so badly at that moment to launch myself at him, he was so irresistible when he was uncertain. I sighed out my frustration with myself at my errant thoughts, must keep my mind focused.

I let my hands drop from his face and I turned and started to walk back in the direction we were heading before, when I could hear Jasper wordlessly following me I again broke back into a run.

We were almost there.

I made my way through the trees towards a rocky outcrop with a drop of about fifty feet on one side, I had caught the scent of what I was looking for a moment earlier and I was sure that Jasper had already sensed it too. I made my way up the lea side of the outcrop and stood silently at the top and I looked down, there was a small clearing just in front of where the drop ended before the tree line started and the scent was strong here. This was definitely the place.

'Wait here' I said as I looked across to Jasper, a small smile on my lips and before he had time to answer, I jumped down to the clearing landing silently on the grass below, I quickly glanced back up to see him standing, with his hands behind his back again, watching me.

Behind me in the rocks was a large opening, a cave, I listened intently for a moment and I could hear faint breathing of an animal inside, I could tell from the sound that it was not a large animal, so what I was waiting for had yet to arrive. I ranged my hearing outwards and I then picked up a large rustling sound coming from the right about a hundred yards out and more heavy breathing.

The large black bear emerged into the clearing about 50 yards from where I stood, as soon as it saw me it froze. I instinctively lowered slightly into a crouch, and sidestepped backwards and forwards in front of the cave opening, my hands extended outwards my fingers curled into claws. A low hiss emanated from my lips.

In response a low soft sound came from inside the cave, a cub no doubt, and the big black bear in front of me sent out a louder grunt in frustration at my presence between her and her offspring. I hissed again and moved a few steps closer baring my teeth, the bear was getting agitated now, torn between the natural response to flee from me and the motherly desire to protect her cub.

I sidestepped a few more times backwards and forwards in front of the cave entrance this time I let a low growl escape as well as the hiss to enrage the bear even more. I walked a few yards forward, maintaining my crouch, I could see the bear looking from me to the cave and back again. She reared up on her hind legs and gave another growl before returning to all fours and then she started to charge at me.

I relaxed my stance, turned my back on her, stood unnervingly still, closed my eyes and waited.

I could of course hear her approach, the thunderous pounding of her feet on the ground ever closer, ever closer. I remained still as a statue, my eyes closed. When she was only a few feet away from my exposed back, still coming at me full speed, I heard another fierce angry growl to my right and a small smile passed my lips.

In that instance, I took a step to my left, opened my eyes and spun around just at the moment that Jasper made contact with the bear. The force of his lunge sent both of them flying backwards away from me.

He raised his hand and swiped the bear across the throat, his teeth bared, a long snarling hiss coming from his lips. The bear's blood sent a spray of red up into the air and I held my breath. I didn't want the scent of it to reach me. I took a leap back about 30 feet just to be sure, as I watched Jasper pin the bear to the ground, sink his teeth into its neck and start to drink.

I stood quietly while he finished, he stood up and turned towards me a look of pure fury on his face. He strode back towards me and grabbed both of my arms.

'Alice what the hell were you thinking?' He was almost shaking me in his apparent anger.

'Well it worked didn't it? I replied with a slight smile.


	9. Chapter 9

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves **

**Chapter 9 - Jasper POV**

'To hunt, you're thirsty'

That was all it took, those four words to freeze me solid, my feet dug in and the panic began, if I were mortal my heart would have been racing along with my lungs, but instead I stood stone still staring into nothingness, only returning a little when the light touch of Alice's hands against my cheeks drew me out of my shell.

'Sssshhhhh Jazz, it's alright, it's alright'

I trembled beneath her touch, her words not doing much to console me, only the feeling of her skin on mine stopped me from retreating as she held me in place.

'I….can't….do…..this.'

I tried to back away, wherever she was leading me couldn't be a good place if she intended me to feed there, hadn't I just explained this to her? I don't want to feed, I'd rather starve than take another human life. No, I hadn't fully explained it, but surely she would have guessed by now, she had felt how I had controlled her emotions, didn't she realise it was in reverse also? That I could feel her emotions, my victims emotions.

I began to shake more with the panic that still threatened to control me, but she remained calm and through her touch I began to relax also. But then her calmness switched to something else, the passion from before and I twitched beneath her touch. How could she be feeling that right now? Couldn't she see the monster that I was, why was she so drawn to me? But before I could even react in any way, she had already pushed that feeling aside and released me, turning away, and like a beckoned slave, I followed.

She stopped atop a rocky outcrop and drew in a breath to scent the air, a glimmer crossed her eyes, she must have found what she had been searching for, but I kept my breath held in tight, I didn't want that burn to begin again if it were humans that Alice had found.

'Wait here'

I nodded once but she didn't see, she had already dropped down into the clearing below and I stepped closer to stand right at the edge looking down to her curiously, my hands dropping to the dip of my back as they always did when I was nervous or anxious.

She looked back up to me then, our eyes met for a second before she turned from me once again and I raised my eyes to scan the area, seeing mountains in the distance capped with snow, even the thick clouds flouting around them threatened a snow storm, but then a roar broke my wandering gaze and I quickly looked down again.

Alice still stood below me but she was stepping back and forth in front of the stone wall, as though dancing alone, but she was in a defensive crouch and hissing. I raised my eyes to see what she was doing and realised a large female bear had entered the grassy clearing, Alice was antagonising her! I began to tremble again, anxiety for Alice's safety, but it was all happening so quickly, the bear had launched forward!

I lowered my gaze back to Alice, she stood facing me now, perfectly still, her eyes closed and a smile on her lips. Was she insane? Turning her back on an attacking bear three times the size of her?

I couldn't hold in the growl that escaped me now as the bear grew nearer to Alice, and before I had even time to think it through, I had launched myself from the stony outcropping at speed, slamming into the female when she had been just a few metres from Alice's position, my momentum throwing us both away from Alice.

I gained my feet quickly though the bear took a little longer, stunned by my sudden attack, but she soon became alert again. I struck out quickly, slashing across the bears throat. I had wanted only to keep the bear from Alice, but now the burn in my throat threatened to send me wild. The thick hot blood of the female bear spread across her fur, I had cut into her neck deep and already she was in a panic causing the blood to flow faster. That's when the blackness came over me and I lunged forward again, gripping onto the bear as I ripped into her throat, drinking with speed, the thirst taking over me stronger than it had in a long time.

I left the limp corpse on the ground and stood, slowly turning towards Alice, my eyes darting in every direction for a moment searching out some more blood. The bear blood had began to fill me but it had had no taste, no sweetness like human blood, it just tasted of…nothing, and the burn in my throat persisted as I remained unsatisfied. I locked eyes with Alice then, unable to contain my anger as I shot forward gripping her arms tightly.

'Alice, what the hell were you thinking?'

She smiled…she actually smiled. Did she think this was all a game? I wanted to shake sense into her but I could already feel the twinge of pain from her, my grip was too tight, tighter than she could manage herself, my strength still remained as I had fed from a human just two days ago.

'Well it worked didn't it?'

I growled even more frustrated by her smugness and released my grip on her arms knowing that if I did not, I would only cause damage to her, and despite my fury, I didn't want to harm her.

'Are you crazy? You just provoked a bear then stood with your back to it as it charged you! You could have been hurt!'

The panic had began in me again, I hardly knew Alice and yet I was afraid of her being harmed. But I didn't have time for the panic to take me over, something had passed across Alice's eyes and a twinge of pain flowed into me causing me to flinch, it lasted only a second but it was enough time to quickly scan her emotions to see if I was the cause of her pain. As I delved deeper I noticed another emotion within her, something she had been keeping held back but had sprung forward for that second with the pain and now she was pushing it away again.

'Alice?'

I moved forward slowly, taking both of her hands in mine then as I looked deep into her eyes. I had felt that emotion before, I knew it well, it had been my only companion for a long time, and I had never expected to feel it coming from the angel who stood before me.

'Alice…why are you depressed?' I dropped my gaze quickly. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you pain, I was just so worried for you.'

She was shaking her head already, one hand pulling from mine to come to rest on my cheek again.

'No, Jasper. You didn't hurt me. It's just…something you said, it brought something back to me for a moment.'

I raised my eyes to meet hers again, the breath catching in my throat from the saddened look in her eyes. So something I had said had upset her but I didn't know what it was, I scanned back quickly through my recent words, but there really was only one thing that could have caused her this emotions upset.

'Alice…when I said you were crazy, I didn't mean it.'

Yes, I was right, that flicker of pain entered me again through her touch and again I flinched closing my eyes against it for a moment until it faded into the depression and then disappeared again. I slowly opened my eyes to meet hers.

'I'm sorry, Alice.'

'No, it's ok Jazz. I'm not even sure why I reacted that way to what you said. It's as if there's something there…but I don't remember.'

I exhaled softly, feeling her stiffen a little and she dropped her hand, a pulse of passion flowed from her again. Ok, this was getting out of hand, was there anything I could do that wouldn't have this young lady feeling like this towards me?

I looked away, trying to focus on something else as I pushed the passion away from myself into nothingness, I couldn't let myself fall weakened to her because of her feelings, it wasn't the right thing to do, it would be like taking advantage.

But something caught my attention then, something that had only been in the back of my mind since killing the female bear…we weren't alone. I could hear the soft thrumming of another heart, and it was coming from the cave in front of me. I felt stupid for not noticing this before, it was so unlike me to be off guard at any time, but I had let my concern for Alice do just that. I glanced quickly to Alice but she was smiling again now.

'Yes, there's a young bear in there, it's what she was protecting. Are you still thirsty?'

I was but I couldn't kill young. Even if it was an animal, and so I shook my head. I didn't want animal blood, it had no taste and no satisfaction, and Alice's trick of getting me to feed from the mother bear had only heightened my frustration and turned me more hungry for human blood to quench the burn that the bear blood had not.

'Ok, I'll be right back.'

She patted my cheek as if sensing my unease but then moved away entering the cave. I heard the surprised cry of the young cub as Alice came into it's view, it even began calling for it's mother to come to it's aid, but she never would.

I shuddered and turned quickly away at the sound of Alice feeding and the choked cries from the cub ceased. I closed my eyes tight trying to block it all out but a blackness flashed across my mind, flickering images of a past long ago that tortured me.

Maria had been furious with me. I had taken a party of newborns to a small village in south Texas, but I had prevented them from killing children, I followed them all, making sure non disobeyed me, I ordered them to only drink of those who were old, who had already lived their lives. Children didn't deserve to die like this.

Maria had called it a weakness and had starved me for three weeks, each night she came to me, biting me and leaking her venom into my weakened body. But the worst thing she had done, she had sent a small group back into the village to round up the children I had saved, and one by one she had them drained in front of me by the newborns. It wasn't only the pain and fear from the children that made the torture so terrible, it was the feeling of being so starved that I wanted a part of it.

A choked sob left my throat as I forced my memory away. I found I was sat on the ground with my back still to the cave, my knees were drawn to my chest, my elbows rested on my knees, and my hands were buried in my hair as I rocked back and forth.

'Jasper?'

There was no mistaking the worry that laced Alice's voice, and in less than a second she had left the cave entrance and was knelt before me, her arms wrapping around my frame as she rocked gently with me.

'Jasper, sssshhhhh. What is it, what's wrong?'

Another choked sob left my throat against my will as a tremble ran through me.

'She killed the children….'

The image was still fresh in my mind that I had spoken those words before I could even stop myself. Alice stopped rocking causing me to stop also, and I felt her stiffen against me.

'What?'

I lowered my hands from my hair, raising my head to meet her eyes, she gasped and leaned back from me a little, and I saw my own eyes reflected in hers, they were deep red from the bear blood, the black flecks had disappeared though I remained thirsty, unfulfilled by the animal's blood.

'Nothing…just….memories.'

I edged forward into her embrace not liking the small distance she had put between us by her shock at the colour of my eyes. I didn't want her to fear me, I didn't want her to know the kind of monster I had once been.

'Alice…'

It came out as another choked sob, I expected her to pull away, to leave me in my misery, but instead she tightened her grip around me and I willingly leaned into her embrace.

'Jazz. The past can't be changed but your future can. You don't have to be that man again.'

'That monster'

She shook her head against me where her chin rested on my shoulder.

'That man, Jazz.'

I leaned back a little now meeting her eyes again. They were so soft, so caring, and so golden from her feed. I didn't believe her words, she didn't know the extent of what I had been, I had shortened my story so she wouldn't flee from me in fear, I wanted her company.

She edged closer again, her lips pressing gently to mine, it was meant in a soothing way, a friendly way, but I needed more. All virtue and innocence aside, I moved fast, taking her off guard, she lay on her back and I on top of her, holding myself above her, and I kissed her with want, with need of comfort, we remained like this for just a few seconds before she opened her lips and I was quick to take advantage of that, dipping in my tongue to dance it viciously with hers, she wasn't afraid, she welcomed it and I could feel the passion in her rising as I pushed it back to her also only heightening the experience between us.

But again I pulled back, looking down to her. Her eyes were wide and glistening as she pressed my shoulders down pulling me into another deep and feverish kiss. Her leg raised to rest over mine, I could feel her whole body against me, the passion flowing between us causing me to continue blindly, but again my thoughts interfered and again I pulled away, completely away this time, ripping myself from her grip and landing a short distance away on my back, drawing in fast jagged breaths as I tried to control myself, blocking off the lust that still flowed from her along with the disappointment of me once again pulling away from her. I closed my eyes tight, drawing in one last breath as I felt her sadness fill me.

'I'm sorry, ma'am.'


	10. Chapter 10

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves **

**Chapter 10 - Alice POV**

In the moment there was only him, his body pressed against mine, his kiss strong and deep, all other things forgotten for that instant, I wanted only him, the feeling rising in me to consume me, and then it was over, he'd flung himself away from me again!

He was on his back a few yards away from me his breath coming in short gasps, my longing continued for a moment, but then the sadness once again hit me, why? What was it? I had to know, surely he was not afraid of me, but yet he had called me crazy and that had hurt, some long forgotten memory in the back of my mind.

I walked over to him he was still on the ground, again he thought it was his fault, I sighed, I needed him to understand, for him to understand me. The time was now before I hurt him again.

'Jazz we need to leave, get away from here, then I'll explain I promise.'

I needed him to know that there was something more because I felt now more than ever that he would reject me totally, he did feel something for me, but I wasn't even sure he knew whether it was the right thing, something was holding him back and I couldn't let that happen, I'd waited too long to lose him now.

He stood up, 'Just talking, but not here,' I gestured towards the bear carcase still lying on the ground. He nodded slightly so I knew he would once again follow me, so I took off running east again through the surrounding forest and higher up into the hills. I stopped after a short time once the trees began to thin, but were not completely gone, there was a large tree surrounded by ferns that would hide us enough but still give us a vantage point to see anything coming.

I slowed to a walk and sat down with my back against the tree. I drew my knees up into my chest and clasped my hands around them. I looked up at Jasper, he had not sat down but stood in front of me watching, in that posture that was now becoming a little familiar. The sky above was cloudy and grey, as I looked up, it like my mood, was sad.

'Jasper, I don't remember much from when I was human, all I know is that I was alone and there was darkness, always darkness. I just remember a voice, a soft deep voice murmuring in the darkness, I can't even remember what was being said only that there was a voice.'

I looked up at Jasper's face now, his expression remained still, he was watching me intently.

'Then all there was… was the burning, every part of my body was on fire, endless fire I thought I must be dead or worse, the pain it was like a nightmare I couldn't awaken from. Then it subsided and I opened my eyes and there was light, brightness like my eyes had never seen before, colours everywhere and I saw the sun, low in the sky for the first time. Whenever I see a sunrise again it brings back that good memory for me, the moment everything became clear, but I'm sorry it seems for you that it only brought back bad memories.'

I shook my head slightly as I recalled Jasper's reaction by the lake in my head, not what I had wanted or expected at all.

'It's not your fault Alice, you weren't to know, my past is not pretty.' A corner of Jaspers mouth turned up as he answered me.

He came to sit beside me then and turned his face towards me, he was sitting close and he folded his arms around his knees like mine and he was so close our arms touched at the elbow.

'The bear thing, you were thirsty and I knew if I could get you to act on instinct rather than thought.. it might have been easier for you….' I sighed, that had not gone well either, it had only provoked an even stronger, more painful memory to surface for him.

'You did take me by surprise, I was afraid you would get hurt.'

'I know, I forget that I'm the only one that can see the possible outcome of a situation and I just act on it if I think its right, I'm sorry I didn't tell you first but I was afraid, afraid you wouldn't come with me, to at least try, I know the animal blood is not the same as…..' I paused then I didn't want to say the word, 'And it doesn't take away the thirst entirely but you can survive, I've been trying it for a few months now because I didn't want to hunt the _other_ way any more either.'

I shuddered slightly as I remembered a night long ago when I had caught a young man in an alleyway, I was so thirsty I didn't stop to even take in his face as I silently approached from behind, clasped his head in my hands and broke his neck before he even had time to take one breath.

After I'd finished feeding, I scooped him up into my arms to dispose of him and it was only then that I truly looked at his face. What I saw shook me, as he looked a lot younger to me than his appearance had indicated by his height and build. I had felt guilty then for the first time about killing a human and the feeling returned now as it passed through my thoughts.

I lowered my head onto my knees so my face was hidden from Jaspers gaze, I didn't want him to see the pain in my expression as I tried to push the feeling away. It was a moment before I spoke again.

'Jazz are you afraid of me? Do I remind you of 'her'? I looked at him now to see his reaction to my question.

He frowned at first, 'No…. not exactly, that is only a memory' his voice was flat and lifeless as he stared ahead. I had a sudden feeling of anger wash over me, I guessed it must be coming from Jasper.

'Did she hurt you?' I lifted my right hand and lightly touched one of the scars on the back of his hand with my finger tip.

He flinched and drew his hand quickly away from my touch, a shiver running through his body that I felt where our arms still touched, but he remained silent and I could see the pain that crossed his eyes then, so I continued.

'But you called me crazy,' I paused, 'I'm …..not, at least I don't think so….' My brow furrowed as I turned my head away from him then, was I crazy? I know I sometimes acted as if it would probably seem to other people as rash, but I knew what I was doing didn't I?

The doubt crept across my mind, maybe I wasn't as sure of myself now I had someone else besides only myself to think about. The anxiousness rose up in my chest and I took in several sharp breaths.

'Alice….' The soft whisper of Jasper's voice saying my name and his fingers touching the skin beneath my chin brought with them a feeling of calm, I closed my eyes, I wanted this feeling to flow through me now taking away the bad.

'I am truly sorry I called you that, its just when I saw you standing there with the bear almost upon you…' his words trailed off. I open my eyes then as he increased the pressure of his fingers to turn my face towards him.

'Overprotective fool…' a small smile broke from my lips, 'The bear would not have been able to hurt me, you know that as well as I do, but I was hoping your reaction was more than just purely instinctual.'


	11. Chapter 11

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves **

**Chapter 11 - Jasper POV**

'Alice, my instinct was to protect you. It's odd, I barely know you but I'm strongly drawn to protect you. And to be honest the last thing on my mind was to feed from that bear'

I couldn't help the shudder that ran through me, I was still feeling the animal blood within me and it was rather nauseating, my hand instantly clutched my stomach as I cringed from the unusual sensation.

'I don't know how you manage to feed like that, it smelt horrid and the taste….I didn't taste anything but it's left me feeling….ill.'

I felt the sudden worry pass through her and I quickly turned my eyes to her again to reassure her.

'I'm fine, it's just…an odd sensation. It'll pass in time. So you really don't remember anything before you became like this?'

I changed the subject quickly to take her mind off worrying about me and it only took a second for the darkness to come upon her again, my hand shot down to take hers as I entwined my fingers through hers for reassurance. I hadn't meant for her to begin feeling like this and I quickly sent a wave of peace upon her to make up for my mistake. I was about to apologise for causing her this emotional pain but she was already speaking.

'No, I just remember the dark, it was everywhere, sometimes the voice, but never any light until the burning ended and I woke up like this.'

I nodded a little and glanced down watching a beetle scuttling along the soil near my worn down shoe, her words snapped me from my thoughts and I raised my eyes again to meet hers, so beautiful and golden from her feed of the young bear cub.

'You said you don't remember any of your human life either.'

I continued to stare into the deep golden pools a second longer before slowly nodding and disconnecting my gaze.

'I had memories. I know I did, but they're very hazy to me.'

I looked down as Alice's fingers squeezed gently around my own and she began to trace the scars on the back of my hand with the forefinger of her other hand as I fought the urge to pull away from her again, I had felt the hurt pass through her as I previously pulled away, I didn't want to feel that again, didn't want her to feel that again.

'Why do you think you can't remember them?'

Her voice was angelic, soothing and so calm and full of interest.

'I know why I can't remember them.'

I turned my gaze away from where she continued to trace the scars, it was because of my scars that I had forgotten.

'It was too much for me to bear. I couldn't be the killer I was required to be if I was feeling everything around me, all the pain and fury, it weighed down on me so heavily. I came very close to being destroyed in my second battle because of it.'

I tilted my head a little raising my spare hand to trace the smattering of scars on the side of my neck and jaw. It had been a deep wound, I had been distracted by all the emotions on the battle field and I had been taken unawares, my throat nearly bitten through.

I lowered my hand back to rest on my knee and glanced to Alice seeing the curiosity in her eyes, no doubt she realised what I had just revealed to her.

'After that I knew I needed to find a way to block as much out as I could or I wouldn't survive another battle, my gift had already become so much more heightened, I needed to numb it. It took a while, but over time I had…well, basically killed myself. I blocked out everything that I once was and focused solely on what I had become and my job in hand. I became a most vicious killer, a soldier born from the ashes of war, I forgot everything but my name, my age and my objective.'

I turned my face away from Alice then, I could feel her surprise at what I had told her and I felt ashamed though I managed to keep that feeling held in so she would not feel it also. But it was like she had felt it anyway, perhaps had seen it in my crimson eyes or was just so used to me already that she knew how I felt just by the sight of me.

'Jazz. Maria made you that way, but you were once a wonderful young man, and you can be that way again with my help. I am willing to help you but you need to help yourself also, I can't do it alone.'

I lowered my gaze and continued to watch the beetle where it was now crawling along the top of my shoe but Alice touched her fingers to my chin and turned my face to look to her again, her right hand had dropped from my own and she raised this one also placing it against my cheek as she forced me to meet her eyes and I quickly became lost in those golden orbs.

'Are you listening to me, Jasper? You can be that great man again and I intend to help you, together we can help each other, but I cannot help you when you're keeping things hidden from me.'

I was confused and it must have shown in my eyes or perhaps she felt it expel from me.

'Why are you afraid to touch me, Jazz? You kiss me but then you pull away and you're always so apologetic afterwards, but I don't understand. Have I done something wrong? Am I just not right for you?'

I flinched under her touch as her sadness passed into me and I saw the knowledge in her eyes that she had caused this, she removed her hands from me but I was quick to catch them. I didn't want her to release me, if anything I knew I deserved whatever pain she caused me.

'No, Alice. You have done nothing wrong. And you know we are meant to be together, you said you saw it and I trust you with my whole being. Why else would you have waited so long to find me if we were not meant to be together?'

'Jasper, maybe I made a mistake. I see you, Jazz, you're afraid to get too close to me, you keep pulling away, maybe my vision was wrong.'

She tried to pull her hands from where I held them tight in my own, and not wanting to hurt her in any way, I released her hands unwillingly as she got to her feet and began to walk away. My eyes followed her as she did so. I didn't want her to leave, as much as I didn't want to tell her the truth, it would hurt us both if I did, but in the day and a half I had known Alice, I knew enough that I didn't want her to leave me, and so as she got further away from me I spoke up, my voice sounding cracked, parched even.

'It's because of Maria.'

I had already lowered my gaze back to the beetle on my shoe but I clearly heard Alice stop walking and the slight rustle of her dress as she turned to look back at me. I lowered my hand to my shoe and let the beetle crawl onto my finger before dropping it carefully onto a dead leaf nearby, then I drew my knees closer to my chest hugging them tightly to me and hearing the complaint of my ribs against the pressure, a little more and they would snap but I didn't care.

I tensed as Alice silently knelt in front of me and I lowered my forehead to rest on my knees burying my face so she would not see my shame. My body tensed against my consent as Alice lightly rested her hand at the nape of my neck and she was quick to remove her hand again thinking she had caused me pain.

'She hurt you badly didn't she?'

I nodded once against my knees and I felt the sadness from Alice begin to overwhelm me, but I was well practiced with my gift and instead of forcing it out of myself where it would have enveloped her, I absorbed it instead and locked it away deep inside of myself.

'Oh, Jazz. What did she do to you, my love?'

The sadness was even evident in Alice's voice now but I couldn't calm her, not without risking causing her more distress if I was unable to control my emotions.

I raised my head a little from my knees cautiously casting a quick glance to Alice, she was sat before me on her knees, her hands hovering in mid air as she contemplated whether to comfort me again in case I reacted badly to it. I didn't want her to be this way around me and considered not telling her anything more, but to do so could mean losing Alice altogether. I had to find it within myself to trust that by telling her the truth that she would not leave me, thinking I was vile or someone to be ashamed of.

I could see the uncertainty in her eyes now, she had picked up on my hesitance, she could leave any second, run and never look back, never search for me again, but she lingered on waiting for me to speak as her sadness continued to fill me. When I spoke my voice was quiet though she could hear me clearly, and I felt even more parched now than before.

'S…she….she was very violent. Very quick to punish. If I did something wrong she would lock me away for weeks, starving me of blood. She would have humans drained in front of me until it was so unbearable I would have bitten through my own wrists to break free and feed.'

Alice gasped and I tensed at the sound, if she was shocked by that then how would she cope if I continued to tell her. I buried my face in my knees again, a tremble running through my body as I clutched my knees tighter to my chest, feeling a rib begin to splinter under the pressure and relishing in the pain of it, pain had always helped me to cope in the past, a splintered rib was nothing compared to the pain I had been through before, but for now it helped a little.

Alice moved quickly pushing one hand against the front of my shoulder with strength enough to move me until my back now touched the tree trunk again, her other hand pressed down on my knees until my legs were straightened out before me. Both of her hands then moved to my chest, probing carefully to see where the break had occurred.

I leaned back even more resting my head against the tree and closing my eyes, not caring that I had hurt myself, but I could feel the concern pulsating from Alice and I felt bad for causing her to feel this way.

I flinched and opened my eyes suddenly. Alice had swiftly pushed my shirt up my chest so she could check my ribs easier without the fabric of my shirt hindering her search, but she had frozen and I didn't need to look to understand why. She had seen the many more scars my shirt had been hiding. My sides and chest were covered with them and I knew I was revolting to look at.

My hand slammed down then knocking her hand away with more force than I had planned to, but it had the desired effect, my shirt fell to cover the scars again and I turned my eyes away not wanting to see the revulsion in her eyes, but when she spoke there was no hint of it in her voice.

'Is that why, Jazz? Because you are ashamed of how you look because of your scars?'

I drew in a shallow breath, a little shaky from the damaged rib that continued to pain me and I nodded a little.

'Partly'

'Partly? There's more to it than that?'

I nodded, barely moved by the tone of surprise in her voice, and this time I didn't push her away as she carefully lifted my shirt a little to probe my ribs again, though I involuntarily tensed under her touch.

'I was second in command to Maria. The head of her armies, and her favourite. She lied to me. She had me believe that she loved me just so I would do what she wanted of me…'

I trailed off with a wince as Alice's fingers found the damaged rib and she raised her eyes to mine, I read the apology within her golden orbs and shook my head a little to show that I was ok. I was physically ok, the bone was already beginning to heal itself, slowed a little by the lack of human blood, the animal blood hadn't done much to strengthen me.

Alice nodded once and let my shirt drop again I unconsciously moved my hands quick to tuck the shirt into my trousers and snatched up my previously forgotten jacket, pulling that on too, ignoring the protest from my rib as I did so.

'What did she do to you, Jasper? Why do you shy away from me?'

'Have I not given you enough clues?'

I said it with a bit more harshness than I had intended to. I despised the questioning, but knew I had to tell her the truth. Alice was shaking her head, I hadn't told her enough.

'As Maria's second, I was the only one she would be intimate with, anyone else was below her, even I was below her but the nearest to her…..sh..she abused me for decades and the whole time I lied to myself that she loved me.'

I shook my head wearily and turned my face away unable to hold in my shame mixed with Alice's sadness as it filtered heavily from me.

'She forced herself on me so many times over the years.'


	12. Chapter 12

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 12 - Alice POV **

'What did she do to you, Jasper? Why do you shy away from me?'

Apart from the obvious shame he felt about the way he looked, that didn't actually worry me, the fact that he had been so angry that he had physically hurt himself even though it was just a splinter, however concerned me more.

'Have I not given you enough clues?'

The anger and irritation was evident in his reply to my question, I could feel the waves of it reaching me. What else could there be? I had no idea, I shook my head.

As his explanation flowed from his lips and he turned his face away from me as he described how Maria had treated him and what she had done, the enormity of what he had just revealed hit me like a blow, this was even worse than the fighting, the killing. At least that had had a purpose all be it a hideous one, but the fact that Maria had used him so badly emotionally as well as physically was more than I could comprehend at first.

'Oh,' I gasped, my mind was trying to fathom how someone could be so cruel, so unfeeling, so devious, I had never hidden my true feelings as far as I could remember, certainly not to Jasper, even if he wasn't able to sense them anyway, but I could see now how my earlier actions had brought back all the painful memories.

I looked at him now, his head has still resting against the tree trunk, his face still turned slightly away, his eyes closed, his mouth mashed into a firm line, the mask of pain still evident on his features and the feelings that where still coming from him were strong, still angry, still ashamed. I couldn't fight them, more so I didn't want to fight them, I wanted to share what he was feeling, perhaps then I could begin to understand what he had and was still going through.

After a while he still hadn't moved, but the feeling he was emanating began to lessen, I so wanted to put my arms around him to comfort him, but I wasn't sure that that was the right thing, whether that would only serve to heighten his anxiety even more. So instead I settled for placing my hand in his, he curled his fingers around mine.

'Jasper,' my voice was barely a whisper, 'What she did to you was wrong, so very wrong, you didn't deserve to be treated that way,' I shook my head although he still had his eyes closed so he couldn't see me.

'I can't erase the past but I will be part of your future, now I've found you, I'm not letting go, …..'

Jasper opened his eyes then and turned towards me,

'Whatever we face now, we face together, no one will ever hurt you again, I won't let them.' I squeezed his fingers as I said the words, I was more determined now than ever to see a smile cross his lips once again, for the feelings to dissipate entirely and never return, however I knew that that was still a battle we would have to win.

'So, despite everything I've said to you and everything I've done, you can still stand to be around me?'

Jaspers voice was cracked, like he was struggling to say that words, as if my answer was negative he would shatter completely, he was trembling again. I clutched his hand tighter.

'Jazz,' I raised me free hand to once again place it on his cheek, 'Neither of us chose to be what we are, what we've been…., I've done some things I'm not proud of as well,' I lowered my gaze for a second.

I could feel a distinctive wave of fear coming from him now, was it because I had my hand on his cheek or was it something else, was he afraid that at any moment I would decide to abandon him, to leave him to his misery.

He stared at me for one second then I saw a flash of doubt pass his eyes and he sprang to his feet wrenching his hand from mine as he strode off.

'Jasper, no wait…..' I couldn't hide the desperation in my voice as I called after him, I too sprang to me feet, I couldn't let him walk away now, but he continued to stride away from me his back towards me his shoulders hunched over, the tremble still visible as he walked.

'Jazz…..please!' I was in front of him in a second, I held my hands up to stop him, careful not to actually touch him. He stopped waking and stood staring at me an angry scowl still masked his face.

'We don't have to be that way anymore, your not alone now, I'm here and we will make it better, find a new path, I have faith in you Jazz, I know that your not the person you think you are.' My voice was pleading now, I could still feel the waves of anger and pain coming from him, as he answered,

'How can you say that, you've only known me a short time, how do you know that I can break free of this…., this monster I've become,'

He sighed and I could feel a fresh wave of fear pass through me,

'Because….', I took a step towards him and leaned slightly closer to him so our faces were only a few inches apart, I stared directly into his eyes I raised my hand tentatively to his cheek and pressed my fingers tight against his skin,

'Do you think that I could ever feel this way about you, if I thought you were a truly bad man?'

I took in a shallow breath and his scent touched my tongue, in my mind I thought back to when he'd kissed me, the feelings that had been awoken, that had taken me by surprise, but had felt so right, so strong. I let the feeling rise up inside me, the longing, the need for him I let my mind wander back to when we were lying on the ground, when I had pulled him towards me, could feel his warmth over my skin, his tongue dancing with mine and I let the full force of the previous feelings I had been keeping suppressed escape now, I needed him to see just how much I wanted him and when he gasped I knew he could feel it too. I stood very still for a few moments while it flowed between us until I saw his face soften again.

'You have that much faith in me?' he asked just the tiniest hint of a smile played on his lips,

'Of course I do, I don't doubted it, it won't be easy but we can try right?' I smiled shyly, a flicker passed my mind just then another vision. It lasted only a moment.

'But first we need some new clothes, I've been wearing this dress for a few days now and I think we both need a change!' I grabbed his hand before he could say anything and took off eastwards again. I had seen our destination just a short distance from where we were in my mind just a few miles away, we ran down the hill, through the trees, until we reached a river, in one leap we both crossed it, once on the opposite bank I could see the fence line in the distance marking the boundary of the farm we were headed towards.

When we reached the fence we slowed. The fields were empty and had been for some time, the grass grown tall and swaying in the light breeze, there was a very faint trace of animal scent but nothing that would excite the thirst I knew Jasper was still feeling.

'Alice what are we doing here?' Jasper said hesitantly under his breath, his eyes taking in the scene, scanning back and forth, 'Its fine Jazz,' I reassured him, 'No ones been here in a while, its safe.'

I sprang lightly over the fence and he followed, I made my way towards the large farmhouse nestling in the centre of the surrounding fields. There was no human scent coming from anywhere surrounding the house as I had suspected.

I leapt silently on the top of the left hand side of the porch which fronted the house and peered quickly in through the first window, I could see a bed and a dressing table, this is just what I wanted. I turned, but Jasper was not behind me, I took a few steps back to peer over the edge of the porch, he was still standing down below, still scanning the area for any potential threat.

'Jazz!' I called and gestured for him to come up to where I was. He looked up and sprang up to stand beside me.

'Alice I don't think this is such a good idea.' He placed his hand on my arm as if he wanted to pull me back.

'It's alright, I know what I'm doing, it's fine really there's no need to worry.' I shoot him a quick smile and approached the window and slid it upwards, ''Oh look they've even left it open for us!' I joked as I stepped over the sill and in to the room. I walked around the end of the bed, to my right there was a long guilt mirror and a door just after it, I turned the handle and peeked out, it lead out onto the landing at the top of the stairs.

I closed it and turned to my left this time. There was another door next to the bed head opposite the long mirror, I opened that, it was a small walk-in closet, perfect. I turned then to see if Jasper was behind me. He was still standing out on the porch but he was peering in through the open window watching.

'Jasper come on in, I've found the closet!' I laughed and turned back to the clothes hanging in neat lines on either wall. I quickly took in a breath and thumbed through the left hand rail which was filled with various men's shirts and trousers until I found what I wanted. On a shelf next to the rail was the other items I needed. I laid each item of clothing over my arm and grabbed the last one with my right hand and turned and walked back into the bedroom. Jasper was now in the room but standing by the window with his arms folded behind his back waiting for me to appear. He eyed my armful of clothes curiously. I laid each item out on the bed. A dark green shirt, black trousers and a matching black waistcoat and tie. I placed a pair of black leather shoes on the floor by the bed.

'There!' I said with satisfaction as I ran my hand down the shirt, I looked up at Jasper, 'Get dressed, I'll be back in a moment.' I turned swiftly back and re-entered the closet, I heard Jasper approaching the side of the bed and I peeked back around the closet door jam. He was standing with his back to me removing his jacket, I watched as he unbuttoned his shirt and removed that too.

The sight of his bare back with the firm muscles running across the top of his shoulders and down the back of his arms sent a shiver through me. He was unbuttoning his trousers now and swiftly let them drop to the floor before he stepped out of them and bent down to pick them up, my breathing quickened and I had to quickly hold my breath before he heard me. He placed the old now neatly folded trousers on the bed and swiftly replaced them with the ones I picked out, put on the shirt, and reached for the waistcoat. As he did so he started to turn and walk towards the mirror.

I quickly turned back into the closet so he wouldn't see that I had been watching and turned my attention to the rail on the right which contained dresses. I quickly found a yellow dress with a square patterned bodice that took my eye and I removed it from the rail and placed it lightly on the shelf at the back of the closet.

I removed the dress I was currently wearing and put on the new one. When I turned back to exit the closet Jasper was still in front of the mirror, but now he had a smile on his face as he was admiring himself in his new outfit. I picked up the tie he had left on the bed and crossed the room. Jasper turned as I approached and I quickly slid the tie around his neck, under the shirt collar and knotted it.

I stepped back to see, 'Yes I like it!' I reached out and buttoned his waistcoat and smoothed it with my fingers.

'Very handsome indeed.'


	13. Chapter 13

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 13 – Jasper POV**

'Do you think that I could ever feel this way about you, if I thought you were a truly bad man?'

I was tense under Alice's touch. I had been so afraid that she would leave me, especially now that she knew the extent of my past, the monster I had been…the slave I had been. But now I was rooted to the spot as her deep amber orbs bore into my own crimson eyes.

The atmosphere of emotions changed then causing me to tense even more, drawing in a breath of unneeded air as Alice let her feelings run wild, forcing me to feel them strongly through her touch, and I fought the urge to run.

I closed my eyes, trembling as the strength of her feelings threatened to overpower me, force me to lose control, but I felt stronger now than I had in a long time and I opened my eyes as the feelings subsided, the tenseness eased from my body and I once again locked eyes onto Alice's.

'You have that much faith in me?' I couldn't help the light pull of my lips as I forced myself not to outwardly show my happiness at having found Alice, the one person who in just a couple of days had turned my world upside down and inside out and here I was begging for more.

'Of course I do, I don't doubt it, it won't be easy but we can try right? But first we need some new clothes, I've been wearing this dress for a few days now and I think we both need a change!'

She grabbed my hand then, dragging me for the first two steps before I had my full movement back and kept pace with her, holding her hand through the whole run, trying to make sense of whatever she was thinking. She was right, we both needed new clothes, my shirt had torn a little during the fight with the mother bear, her claws had raked across my front whilst she had struggled during her last moments. But where were we going to find clothes now?

We were too far from a main town to go to any department stores. I myself didn't care for that anyway, I would simply just find a victim roughly of my size and steal the clothes I needed, but that wouldn't do for my Alice, she deserved only the best, even if it meant going into a heavily populated town, suffer the burn of thirst, to buy her a brand new dress. The only money I had was that of my victim that I had killed in Philadelphia, it would have to do for now, and I would make it up to her in the future.

I looked down as her hand squeezed mine for a moment, she must have seen what I had just decided, perhaps this was her silent way of saying it wasn't needed, she was, after all, determined in her stride at the moment, she already knew where she was going, and so I followed onwards without questioning her motives.

We jumped a river, and once on the opposite bank I could make out what looked like a fence line in the distance, it became more distinct as we grew closer and once it was reached, Alice slowed before stopping completely. I had been scanning our surroundings, checking that no-one had followed from behind, following our scent, but it seemed clear and there was no threatening scent on the air, just the stink of animals long gone.

I turned my gaze back to Alice who had remained silent during my quick scan.

'Alice, what are we doing here?' My eyes roved across the surroundings before us now, watching the slightest movement of each blade of grass as it swayed in the breeze. I could smell animals here also, and my stomach began to churn at the very memory of the bear blood.

'Its fine Jazz, No ones been here in a while, its safe.'

I watched as Alice sprang lightly over the fence and began towards the farmhouse, and I quickly followed covering her back in case it wasn't as safe as she thought. She hadn't looked around even once or scented the air to check it was safe, and this concerned me. Perhaps Alice needed me more than I had realised, she wasn't cautious enough…or I needed Alice more than I realised…I was over cautious. The after effects of a life of war, I doubt if I'll ever change.

Alice had disappeared up onto the porch whilst I had been deep in thought and I stopped walking, half turning to scan the area again, taking in a shallow breath to check for scents. Again, the faint scent of long gone animals hit me and my stomach tightened, but this was nothing compared to how I would be feeling now if a human scent had been around here.

Alice called my name then, snapping me out of my thoughts, I looked up to her and she gestured me to follow, so I sprang up to her, landing silently on the porch beside her. She turned to continue walking but my instinct told me we should get away from this farm. It had been a habitat for humans once before, just because their scent was long gone did not necessarily mean that there wasn't a chance of one wandering by whilst we were here. I didn't even understand why we were here, and my hand shot out to hold onto Alice's arm.

'Alice I don't think this is such a good idea.'

'It's alright, I know what I'm doing, it's fine really there's no need to worry.'

I tensed as she approached the nearest window, my arm dropping to my side as it slid from hers, and again I turned away to scan the surroundings, letting my trained eyes wander in search of anything that might be wrong or out of place. I heard Alice joke about the windows being left open for us, but I was too alert to react, I couldn't help it, and right now I couldn't let my guard down for too long at a time.

Alice had already entered the house through the window and I turned pacing past the window to the other side of the porch checking around the far side of the house, drawing in shallow breaths as I went to catch any scents on the air, but all I caught was faint animal scents and I felt nauseous.

I would have to feed again soon, the bear blood had done nothing but make me feel ill and only a little stronger. I needed the good stuff, the sweet, thick human blood. My throat burned at the very thought of it but my instinct held me back and I returned to the open window peering inside.

Alice's excitement filled me instantly but I pushed it deep down so I could remain alert. She turned, seeing me then, as I stood at the window watching her and she called me in. I hesitated just a moment longer before stepping into the room where Alice was now laying out clothes upon the bed with a pair of shoes on the floor.

'Get dressed, I'll be back in a moment.'

Alice had already turned and re-entered the closet before I could object to the clothing she had picked out for me. It wasn't exactly practical wear, nor was it even my style, far too smart for the likes of me, but I bit back my objection and approached the bed, eyeing the new clothes nervously. I turned, looking down at the items Alice had picked out before removing my jacket and folding it neatly laying it at the bottom of the bed, my shirt soon followed.

It was then that I felt that emotion again, striking me hard. She couldn't have known how easy my gift was, either that or she just didn't realise that she was expelling those feelings. I could feel the lust build up from her but again I pushed those feelings away deciding to just get this over with, not wanting to turn and confront her for watching me undress, and so I let my worn and dirty trousers drop too, stepping out of them and quickly bending to pick them up.

I folded them and added them to the pile of old clothes, then snatched up the suit trousers Alice had chosen and pulled them on to cover my nakedness. I picked up the deep forest green shirt next and pulled that on too, the old human scent still upon the fabric burned my throat but I bit it back, promising myself to hunt later, whilst I buttoned up the shirt, and stuffed my feet into the new shoes at the same time. I then picked up the black waist coat and walked around the end of the bed forcing myself not to look in the direction of the closet.

The lust subsided then and I heard just the slightest movement as Alice began to search through the racks for a dress for herself. I pulled on the waist coat and left it unbuttoned as I looked myself over in the mirror. I was right, I did feel wrong wearing such fine clothing, and I wasn't completely sure if green was a good colour on me, but Alice must have chosen these for a reason, and I trusted her judgement.

I sighed and dropped my eyes a little, wondering how the waist jacket was to be tied up, when I noticed a flicker of movement reflected in the mirror, a flash of yellow, and I trained my eyes on the most beautiful image I had ever seen in my mortal and immortal life…Alice in all her naked splendour as she began to pull on the yellow dress she had chosen to wear. I bit my lip to keep my emotions in check. Just a moment ago I had felt unnerved by her watching me undressed, and I could only imagine she would feel the same way.

I raised my eyes quickly and tugged at the waist coat attempting to tie it up as Alice came from the closet and crossed the room to me, and I couldn't help the smile on my lips.

I turned and swiftly removed the smile from my face, replacing it with a false frown as I continued to mess with the buttons on the waist coat. Alice had picked up the tie that I had left on the bed, I had no idea exactly what it was or what to do with it, but I was about to find out. I dropped my hands to the base of my back as Alice stood in front of me and slipped the tie around my neck, placing it under the collar of the green shirt and knotting it. Her hands then dropped and she stepped back and smiled.

'Yes I like it!'

She then reached out and quickly buttoned up the waist coat before smoothing her hands over the fabric.

'Very handsome indeed.'

The movement of her fingers irritated the old human scent on the fabric and my throat began to burn again more wildly, I tensed a little and held my breath in.

'Are you ok?'

I nodded weakly, there was no hiding anything from Alice…well almost anything…I hope. This I wasn't too worried about her noticing, there was nothing wrong with a vampire being very thirsty and in need of a good feed, but if she had noticed I had seen her naked reflection in the mirror, I dreaded to think how her reaction would be.

'These clothes…smell human. I'm so thirsty.'

I lowered my head with shame at admitting this weakness but I knew that Alice would understand. No doubt she could smell the humans on our new clothes too, but she had slightly better immunity to the scent of it, for me it was like ringing the dinner bell, only now I had to find the meal.

Alice touched my chin, raising my eyes to meet hers, her other hand shot around my back grasping one of my hands and pulling it to my front for her to hold in a rather reassuring way whilst her eyes scanned mine.

'Yes, you look thirsty, I'm sorry. I thought that bear might have kept you satisfied for a while.'

I tensed as she mentioned the bear, the mere thought of her blood twisted my stomach in an uncomfortable way. I didn't want bear blood, it had been tasteless and unsatisfying, I wanted human blood. But this was the diet Alice was following, a diet of only animal blood, and to be with her meant to follow the diet also.

'I just need to hunt a little more then I'm sure I'll feel ok.'

Alice had heard the uncertainty in my voice. I knew I wouldn't be ok, I would just feel even more uncomfortable, even more nauseated, and more weaker than I felt now. The animal blood was not giving me strength, if anything it was draining it from me, my body was not used to such a diet, I won't last long if I follow Alice, but I won't last long without her now that I've found her, the mere thought of being without her for a second stabbed at my un-beating heart.

'Ok'

Alice smiled her little pixie smile that I was growing to love. Her eyes faded for a short moment and I stepped forward worriedly, increasing the grip of my hand which Alice still held. But it only lasted a few seconds before the bright gold returned, as did Alice's smile.

'We'll go and hunt in the forest nearby, there's a herd of deer passing through, they taste a little better than bear, and the smell isn't as bad. Do you need help tying your shoe laces?'

She dropped her eyes to my feet and I did also, having completely forgotten about the new shoes. They were rather comfortable, more comfortable than the old pair that I had taken from a teenager I had fed from. I stepped back and dropped to a crouch, quickly tying the laces on both shoes before standing again to meet Alice's smile, she quickly took my hand and pulled me across the room again, only letting my hand go for the short moment it took for us to climb out of the window and jump off the porch…it would take some getting used to being dragged everywhere like this.

Alice kept hold of my hand as we dashed across the farmlands and back over the boundary fence. I drew in a quick breath to catch scents on the air but there was nothing threatening. We pushed our feet faster until we had passed some way into the forest on the west side of the farm land and Alice then slowed to a gentle walk and I copied, keeping hold of her hand.

A short distance later, Alice stopped walking and I looked questioningly to her wondering if something was wrong. Her eyes had clouded again, I was getting used to this meaning she was using her gift, and I increased my grip of her hand again, an unconscious reassurance to her that I was here keeping watch over her whilst she was distracted. The gold returned to Alice's eyes and she smiled as she turned to look at me.

'Well, we're dressed for dinner so lets hunt!'

She dropped my hand and took off into the trees, I quickly followed her, not because I was looking forward to the stench of animals and the tasteless unsatisfying meal, but that once again she had dashed off without checking for danger first. I sped up until I was running parallel to her, the trees darting passed us at a dizzying speed and my eyes darted in every direction to make sure it was a safe surrounding for Alice. I drew in shallow breaths like before, smelling the dry moss on the trees, the soil that crumbled beneath our feet as we ran, and the stench that I could only assume was the herd of deer that Alice was leading me towards.

Alice stopped suddenly, disappearing from my peripheral vision and I skidded to a halt nearly slamming into a tree as I did so, turning quickly to return to her side. Her eyes had glazed again but before my hand could reach hers to reassure her of my presence, a gun shot sounded out about two miles ahead of us.

My whole body tensed as I turned to look in that direction, my ears picking up the sound of pounding upon the forest floor. The deer were fleeing, it had to be a hunter. I drew in a quick breath as a breeze brushed past me and Alice, and my suspicions were confirmed as my throat exploded in pain, my whole being lusting for the human I could now smell, and before I could stop to think anything through, my feet were moving again as I darted in the direction of the enticing smell.

I dashed in and out of the trees, my eyes keeping focus only on the direction of my target now, I didn't care if any danger was near, I needed to feed, my throat was ablaze and it needed quenching. I had been running for several seconds before I heard the footfalls behind me but I didn't slow and I didn't look back to see what it was, I knew that it was Alice, but I was too fuelled with bloodlust to stop.

'Jasper! No! Stop!'

I growled warningly as Alice caught up with me, I was slowed by my bodily weakness, it had been a few days since I had fed from real blood, and now Alice caught up easily with me. I was too focused on the need to feed to listen to her, but also too focused on the need for blood to pay attention to my surroundings.

Alice ploughed into me full force, the weight of impact knocking me sideways from my feet and throwing us both through a tree before we hit the ground with Alice trying to pin me as I struggled. A vicious growl broke from my burning throat and it took only a second for me to become free from Alice's clinging arms.

I threw her from me, she landed on the ground a short distance away near the now fallen tree, and I was on her in a second. I did not see the woman I had come to love over the past couple of days, instead I saw a threat to my feeding, an unwanted imposer.

One hand gripped her hair pulling her head roughly and swiftly to the side and I leaned down going for a killing bite to the throat, but when my teeth were just a few millimetres from her flesh, a choked sob escaped her mouth, freezing me to the core as she cried my name.

'Jazz…please….. don't.'

I remained motionless, my breaths coming in short sharp gasps before slowly releasing my grip from Alice's hair and pulling my head back a little to meet her eyes. They were slightly red rimmed as though she would be crying if she were able, but it was the pure fear within her golden eyes that stabbed painfully in my chest. I had come so close to destroying her, I had been so blind from the lust for human blood.

I pulled myself back quickly then until I landed on the ground against the fallen tree, pulling myself up quickly until my knees pressed to my chest and my face buried against my knees. I couldn't believe what I had just nearly done to the one person who had treated me so differently, who had taken me under her wing and tried to steer me right, and my body shook now with silent sobs.

We both remained motionless for several minutes, each dry sob from Alice delved deeper unto my un-beating heart and tortured mind. I raised my head slowly after what seemed like hours but could only have been less than ten minutes. Alice was sitting up now but still sat where I had left her, dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her yellow dress even though there was no moisture to dab away.

I wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but I was probably the last person she wanted to be anywhere near now. I tried to push a little comfort towards her but my whole being was filled with guilt, anger, self hatred and shame and even as I tried to hold those feelings back from her and send only peace, I struggled to control those effects on myself.

Alice cried my name again before the thought had even finished passing through my mind. I hated myself for doing this to her, I needed to hurt too, and I quickly raised my arm sinking my teeth deep through the fabric of the green shirt and into my own wrist, seeping the overflowing venom, still in my mouth from the scent of the human, into my wrist. The pain was instant, excruciating, but I didn't cry out, I was too distraught to show pain.

Alice was at my side in an instant trying to pull my arm away but I only sunk in deeper, I'd have ripped my own hand off at the wrist if it came to it. Didn't she understand? I had almost destroyed her because of my weakness, my need for human blood, and now I was punishing myself.

She gripped tighter then, my teeth loosening the grip on my wrist slightly as the venom began to burn up the length of my arm and down into my hand and every digit of my fingers. It was the chance Alice had waited for and she quickly took advantage, ripping my wrist away from my mouth, I was unable to hold in the sharp cry of pain at the movement as my teeth ripped through my arm more, but Alice was in charge of me again now. She pushed against my shoulder to stop me attempting to bring my arm back to my teeth, to my venom, and as carefully but as quickly as she could, she pushed the shirt sleeve up over my wrist to see the damage.

The bite was deep and angry looking, glistening with the venom that spilled out a little as Alice began to probe the damage. I tensed as the venom continued to spasm up and down my arm at Alice's touch but again I did not cry out from the pain, I didn't deserve to.

I tried to pull my arm away but Alice held tight refusing this to happen. The bite was already beginning to seal itself, sealing the venom in my arm. Alice lowered my arm to my lap then, finally meeting my eyes for a second before slapping me hard across the chest causing me to wince again. It's what I deserved, if not more. If she had been Maria, I'd either be ripped to shreds right now or shackled up somewhere to be starved and tortured…but she wasn't Maria, she had a lot more compassion and her eyes softened now as though shocked that she had struck me.

'Jazz…why did you do that?'

I lowered my head shamefully unable to stop the shame from flowing from me.

'I'm sorry. I heard you coming, and when you tackled me down I wasn't in my right mind, I thought you were a threat.'

Alice sighed and shook her head resting her hand lightly on my chest where she had struck me.

'No, Jasper. I understand that…I knew the risks. I meant why did you bite yourself? I saw you do it just before you did it but I don't understand why.'

I drew in a slow shuddery breath, the burn returning again but I was too pained by my venom to even consider going after the human again.

'I could have killed you…'

My words came out as a choked sob.

'But that's no reason to hurt yourself, Jasper. Don't you ever do anything like this again!'

The sadness was back in Alice's voice and she raised her hand pointing her finger at me. I flinched as though she was going to strike me again.

'I won't…I'm sorry, ma'am.'

The words tumbled quickly from me, like a child begging for forgiveness, knowing he was going to be whipped for something he may have done, but I couldn't help it, the ghosts were still too close for me. Alice lowered her hand again realising that she had startled me a little and she lowered her eyes back to my wrist which was now fully sealed but the wound still looked angry. She sighed softly and gently ran the sleeve of the green shirt down to cover the wound before frowning again.

'Oh, Jasper, you've bitten a hole in your shirt!'


	14. Chapter 14

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 14 – Alice POV**

My hand had shot out to strike Jasper before my mind had even registered the action, I quickly quelled the shot of anger that had flashed through me which had caused my outburst, it must have been a residual effect of the fear.

I had never in all my memory been as terrified as when Jasper had his hand bound in my hair and he had been ready for the kill, his teeth just a hairs breadth from my skin. I had know that it was a distinct possibility as I had lunged at him that his instincts would be stronger than his compassion but I had to stop him from attacking the human if I had any chance of redeeming him.

It had only taken a fraction of a second to make the decision to stop him, but in the time it took for me to take the one step to launch myself off the ground at him and in the few seconds I was airborne, my own instincts were screaming at me that this was wrong to interfere, he had already displayed a warning by growling at me but I knew that the guilt he would feel afterwards if I allowed him to continue would be more than I could bear or I could console him from and this compelled me forward even if it meant my own existence hung precariously in the balance.

As he released me and put distance between us a fleeting sense of relief passed through me but the intense feeling of how close I had been to being ripped to shreds took several moments to recover from. My plea to him to stop had worked but I had the terrible knowledge that it had been so close, too close, but he had not carried out his threat so there was hope still.

Jasper sat now curled in on himself again, his face buried in his knees and I closed my eyes whilst I fought for composure. I soon opened my eyes again and stared blankly ahead, as the shaking of my body slowly subsided and I tried to relax the tension which still had a taut hold of my muscles. As he raised his head a vision of him flashed through my mind springing me up.

'Jasper!' I cried as I saw his intent, but I was too late.

As I grabbed his arm I could feel the pain emanating from him so the venom now entering his system must cause us pain as well as the humans. I myself had never been bitten by another of our kind and I had never actually thought much about the effect it would have on us. After I had examined the bite and let his arm free that's when the anger filled me again and I had struck out at him.

He winced and as I realised what I done, that I had struck out in anger, fear and frustration that he had almost killed me and that he hurt himself on purpose yet again, I felt a moment of horror as the previous things Jasper had told me about Maria crossed my mind. She had done exactly the same thing to him that I had just done, when he had disobeyed her, she had punished him physically and I felt an instant stab of regret.

I quickly had to pull myself together before Jasper could acknowledge my emotions.

'Jazz why did you do that?

My voice was a little sterner than I had intended and he hung his head as he answered, 'I'm sorry. I heard you coming, and when you tackled me down I wasn't in my right mind, I thought you were a threat.'

Remorse for what I myself had just done started to fill me, I sighed and placed my hand on his chest where I had struck him. I didn't want to be like her in any way towards him, he didn't deserve me to be this way, all I had done so far was compound his misery.

I tried to make my voice a little lighter, 'No, Jasper. I understand that…I knew the risks. I meant why did you bite yourself? I saw you do it just before you did it but I don't understand why.'

He drew in a shuddering breath his face again masked with pain, 'I could have killed you…'

as he said the words his face crumbled, and I instantly knew that he was taking the blame all onto himself and I felt the sadness spanning the short distance between us.

'But that's no reason to hurt yourself, Jasper. Don't you ever do anything like this again!' I raised my finger to point at him and he instantly flinched. He thought that I might be about to chastise him again.

'I won't…I'm sorry, ma'am.' The way he said those words tore at me again, he was expecting the worst, my fury at him to explode at any moment, he was awaiting the retribution that had been so much a part of his past.

I sighed as I looked back down at the bite mark and lay his arm back down and rolled the shirt sleeve back over it, I didn't want to see the reminder just then of Jasper's rage. I noticed the tear in the shirt sleeve that had been left by his teeth.

'Oh, Jasper, you've bitten a hole in your shirt!' I let out a small laugh, but when I looked up at Jasper's face he did not return my smile. He was watching me but I could still feel the anxiety seeping from him.

I reached out and put one arm around his shoulder and pulled him to me, he didn't resist as I thought he might. I laid his head against my shoulder so I could place my cheek on his forehead and placed my other arm across his chest and softly and slowly tightened my grip.

'Jazz, I'm sorry I hit you, I didn't mean it, you scared me for a moment back there.' I turned my head slightly so I could plant a soft kiss on his forehead. His scent filled my senses again as my lips touched his skin.

'You understand why I had to try to stop you from killing the human don't you?' I was calm now, although I could still feel slight tension coming from Jasper.

'Yes I do, but do you have to keep putting yourself in harms way for me?' I could feel him tilt his head backwards slightly away from me, so I moved back too so I could stare into his eyes.

'If that's what's best for you then yes I will…always,' I could feel my excitement at his closeness building again, but I kept it in check, there were more important things we needed to do first. 'How's your arm feeling now?

'Better but still a little painful,' His gaze was still locked with mine, I could see the blackness of his eyes now was almost complete, only tiny specks of crimson remained and the purple under his eyes was now startlingly prominent. I raised my hand to run my finger along the line.

'You still need to feed, Jazz, the thirst must be burning badly by now, and I won't take no for an answer, don't be mad okay?' I smiled down at him, as I ran my finger down his nose and tapped the tip lightly once, but I could feel him tensing again.

'I…..I don't know if I can go through that again, Alice please!' He closed his eyes and his voice was barely a whisper.

'No buts, Jazz, I promise I won't let anything happen to either of us,'

He groaned at my reply his eyes still closed, 'Well we could find a town…...,' I said nonchalantly, he pulled sharply away from me.

'Not funny,' he said sternly, but I was laughing now, 'Oh your so easy to tease!' I leant forward and planted a quick kiss on his lips and then jumped up at the same time grabbing his hand.

'Come on I'll race you!' He sighed again as he got up, he knew I was right and there was no sense arguing with me, so we took off westwards back through the forest, I was scenting the air as we ran to see which way the herd had scattered and it wasn't long before I picked up their trail.

I shot a quick glance over at Jasper and he was still a little uneasy I could feel it as he caught the scent too, his eyes darting back and forth through the trees. We continued on, the scent of the deer causing a small burn in my throat as we ran, however I knew that this must be torture for Jasper, he was so thirsty his throat must be on fire by now as the scent strengthen as we drew closer.

'They are about a mile ahead' I said quickly, I could hear about a dozen heartbeats and the scent was much stronger now, only deer this time no sign of any human presence.

Jasper's face was a mask of concentration, he was honing in on the same thing I was, the thirst was starting to overtake him again, and he was adjusting his stance as he ran into a hunting crouch, I slowed just a little to put myself behind him to let him take the lead, and moved outwards to the right to put some distance between us but I knew he could still see me in his peripheral vision if he was even noticing me at all, his eyes were focused straight ahead, he was taking in short sharp breaths.

I let a sly smile cross my lips, as long as he remained focused on the prey I could watch at the same time as I was moving even more outwards but still only just slightly behind him so as not to interfere. I could sense there was another deer a short distance in front of the one Jasper had chosen, and I focused my hearing in on its breathing, just then I could hear a small growl rumbling in Jazz's chest, he was in full hunting mode now, and I could see out of the corner of my eye his muscles tense across his shoulders under the fabric of the waistcoat and his fingers curled as he prepared to strike.

A slight shiver ran through me, he looked so strong and dangerous, I involuntarily took in a sharp breath, he was very strikingly handsome when he was focused. I had just caught a glimpse of the deer he had targeted just ahead of his position, and in that instance he sprang.

I was elated, as I watched his form fly momentarily through the air, lithe and supple, like a spear quivering in the breeze as it flew, he made contact with the deer's neck with his teeth and I heard the small snap as his arms closed around it and twisted the head and broke its neck all in one smooth motion. As much as I wanted to continue watching, I was almost upon my own target now and my instincts were forcing me to concentrate on that rather than what I wanted to, which was watch Jasper.

My head whipped around and my eyes focused on the deer just up ahead and I let my body take over and act on its own, the venom welled in my mouth as the deer's scent took proper hold of my concentration, the other members of the herd had been startled by Jaspers attack and the deer I was after had looked up from grazing, saw the danger and were just about to turn and run,

If I was not quick I would lose the element of surprise. I quickly took one step with my left foot, threw my right foot up and out to the tree I was passing and used it as a spring board to launch my self upwards and forwards to give me the extra distance I needed to close the gap between myself and the prey.

Its blood was pulsing through its veins I could see it under the skin at its neck and my arms reached out and took hold as my teeth ripped easily into the flesh. I drank quickly, the warm blood didn't taste so bad to me. I wondered if Jazz had finished yet as I was too far away from him to feel anything of his emotions.

After drinking for a short while, I was not as thirsty as Jasper was, I looked up to see if he had finished.

He was standing straight now the carcase at his feet, scanning the surroundings. I let my deer's head drop unceremoniously to the ground with a thud and approached him.

He smiled as he saw me coming, I took that as a good sign and smiled back. 'So that went well,' I said lightly, quickly looking down at the drained deer and back up to his face.

'Not bad,' he agreed and the corner of his mouth turned up, into a half smile. I took hold of his hand and turned to walk away from the dead animals on the ground.

'How was it this time, any easier?' I asked casually as we walked and I glanced over at him.

'Well,' he pondered, 'It still tastes funny and its still making my stomach turn and it doesn't give me any strength…' he looked quickly at me and then away to stare at the ground as he trailed off, no doubt he was wondering how I was going to react to his almost complaining attitude. But he was not going to break my mood I was extremely happy that he had taken a feed at all.

'Well you will get used to it, the nausea calms after a while and your strength will return,' I smiled over at him again to reassure him.

I noticed then that the crimson had brightened again in his eyes although not as bright as it had been when I had first met him, but the darkness had faded from under them. I stopped and turned so I was facing him, 'You look at lot better than you did before at least not so thirsty.'

I squeezed his hand, he smiled again as he said 'Your always watching me aren't you?' His eyebrows raised a little as a smile played on the corners of his mouth as he stared at me.

'Well I've never actually seen any one hunt, and you did look rather fascinating, the concentration, the strength…' I let my gaze drop as I was reliving the feeling I had had as I watched him, the thrill ran through me again,.

'And at the farmhouse…' his tone was soft as my eyes flickered up to catch his again. I took a step back in surprise and realised that a tree was right behind me my back pressed again the trunk.

'You knew I was watching?' I asked startled by his revelation.

'More I could feel you watching, your emotions were pretty strong.' He was smiling widely now as he stepped towards me closing the gap between us, I pressed back a little further into the tree and dropped my gaze from his.

'Oh!' was all I could say as the sensation that I had been feeling whilst I had watched him undress played back in my mind and the burning started to swell inside me.

I could see him moving towards me and I raised my eyes just as his lips found mine, softly at first but then with more urgency, his left hand snaked up around my neck holding me to him, I couldn't have moved even if I had wanted too the tree trunk pressed against my back even more now as he took the final half a step and pressed his body fully against mine.

The burning flared inside me welling up to overtake me and I slid my right hand around his waist, his tongue touched my lower lip and I opened my mouth willing to receive it, I closed my eyes as his right hand raised and his fingers softly touched my cheek. The tips of our tongues met for just an instant and then he withdrew it and released the pressure of his lips on mine and drew back.

My eyes flashed open but he did not release me, he had only moved his head back slightly to stare once again intently into my eyes, and I could feel a new wave of intense feeling welling up inside, it must have been coming from him this time as it intensified my already overwhelmed senses.

He was taking small breaths and it touched my face as he spoke 'You weren't the only one watching,' a broad smile crossed his eyes and he leaned intently towards me again.

He moved to the left side of my face this time so he could whisper in my ear, 'I saw you too in the mirror!' I could hear the laughter in his voice as his lips then brushed my neck just under my chin and the hand that was on my cheek, slowly slid down my neck, across my shoulder, as his fingers traced the outline of my arm down to my wrist.

I shuddered at his touch, the warmth of his fingers setting my skin ablaze in a trail down my arm, his hand left my arm then and I could feel him slid it in between us to undo the buttons on the waist coat.

Releasing my hand at his waist I moved both of them to his front to help undo his shirt buttons as well. I gripped the edges of the open shirt and in one swift motion removed both it and the waistcoat and let them drop to the ground, my eyes were on his chest and without a thought I raised both my hands to place them on his skin, my eyes intent on the scar that was just under his second rib.

I traced it softly with the tip of my finger and I felt him tense under my touch, the muscles across his stomach were now accentuated by his reaction and I slowly traced my finger down around their outline.

I heard him sigh and another wave of excitement hit me. My breath was short gasps as I took in the subtle strength of his body. His scent flared in my nostrils and in my mind, the longing for him now so much I could think of nothing else.

His hands reached out and took both my wrists between each of his with his thumb and forefingers I looked up into his face wondering what his intention was now. He raised both of my arms upwards and slightly outwards, twisting his grip as he did so as to not twist my arms, until they were both above my head and lightly pressed them against the tree trunk.

He leaned in against me again, his lips finding mine once more and I was lost in his kiss, he slid his hands slowly down both of my arms, down my sides until they reached the hem of my dress, grasping it gently and started to raise it upwards.

I pushed myself slightly away from the tree as the dress came up, as a small stab of nervousness now invaded my thoughts, but Jasper deepen his kiss for a second distracting my errant mind and only broke contact as the dress moved up and over my head and off my raised arms. He tossed it aside.

He moved his eyes downwards and placed his lips on my collarbone. He took in a long breath and as he did so I heard the soft thud of fabric hitting the earth at our feet, I heard him shift his feet and then another soft thud as I turned to look, his trousers fell in a heap on the ground.

I took in a shuddering breath as his tongue reached out and touched my skin and he kept it in contact as he traced a line from my collarbone back up to the base of my chin, my breathing shorten the fire burning within was almost out of control now, my mind was a swirl of emotions and as he stood straighter, I let my arms drop to rest on his shoulders.

'Alice…' he whispered as he made the final move towards me.


	15. Chapter 15

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**(Authors note: To my great friend Becky****, ****thank you for your un-wavering support! – Lesa )**

**Chapter 15 - Jasper POV**

'I saw you too in the mirror!'

I felt the urge to confess my sin to Alice. She needed to know what I had done, but at the same time I did not feel bad for what I had done, she had after all watched me first.

I don't know what had come over me. I tried mentally to understand whilst I continued to kiss at Alice's neck and jaw, but the only thing I could think of as a reason for my lust for her is that for the past few days since Alice and I had met, I had been bombarded by the sudden waves of passion, want and need from her a couple of times during each day and instead of pushing it back outwards to her, I had stored it deep inside.

I had not wanted to become too intimate with her, we had only just met, and for anything to happen so quickly between us, I did not want her to think of me in a bad way.

When Alice realised that I had known of her watching me undress in the farm house, the same feelings filled me quickly, the same lust I had felt in the farmhouse, only heightened now at the thought running through her of being caught.

The weight of all the passion I had stored within added to this new dose from her and before I had known what I was doing, I had trapped her between myself and the tree. I couldn't stop myself from kissing her, couldn't stop my hands from tracing the outlines of her body as I pressed myself to her, wanting and needing the connection now more than ever.

Alice had snaked an arm around my waist to rest at my lower back holding me tighter to her and I relished in the sensation of my body pressed to hers, the immense emotions flooding into me from her had me wanting more, needing more, and before I could even realise what was happening, I had leaned back from her disconnecting our bodies for a moment as I began to unbutton my waist coat.

I half expected Alice to stop me, I was after all beginning to strip myself, expecting more than kissing to happen, but instead, her hand dropped from my waist and raised to my front as she hastily unbuttoned my shirt before brushing both items of clothing from my shoulders and letting them drop to the ground just to the side of us.

Her hands were back on me then as I watched her movement, her eyes stared so intently at my skin, I knew what it was she saw and I began to feel ashamed of it again, but before that emotion could even rise completely from me, her fingers had lowered to my ribs to trace the scars there.

I tensed instinctively. There was no pain, those scars were from long ago, but the mere thought of Alice touching such an abomination had me reacting from instinct. But her hands lowered then to trace the tense muscles of my stomach, following the outline of each part with her fingers and a sigh left my lips without my permission.

Another wave of excitement hit me full force then, not my own but Alice's. It would have been strong enough to buckle my knees and spill me to the ground if not for my own sudden reaction in turn. I took hold of her wrists tilting them away from my body, and she reacted in the way I had hoped, as the excitement lessened replaced with a hint of curiousness at my motives.

I smiled and raised her arms from both of our bodies, pinning them lightly to the trunk of the tree above her head, stepping forward into the movement to touch her lips with mine again, her feelings had subsided a little but I missed them already, I needed to feel them again, and as she reacted to my kiss, the lust returned.

A flicker passed my mind, pausing my kiss for the smallest fraction of a second as I re-saw the image I had in the mirror in the farmhouse. I wanted this again also, to see that form once again. I traced my hands lightly down the length of Alice's arms then down her sides until they stopped at the hem of her yellow dress, hesitating there for just a moment, and all gentlemanly thoughts swept aside, I began to lift the fabric.

Again, I expected Alice to push me away, appalled at my actions, but instead she leant forward from the tree so that the fabric would not snag on the bark and rip. This girl definitely had an issue with clothing.

A stab of something new hit me then, a flash of nervousness. Every part of my gentlemanly ways yelled at me to stop, I had gone too far, but the monster was too in control of me now and I moved into another deep kiss feeling the nerves dissipate into passion once again. I broke the kiss only for a few seconds in order to pass the fabric over Alice's head and arms before dropping it to my side adding it to the strewn pile that was my shirt, tie and waist coat.

I lowered my eyes then but did not let them drop too far. I didn't want to rush this and so I left them settling on her collarbone as I leant forward placing feathery light kisses along the length of the bone, kicking off my shoes and suit trousers whilst Alice was distracted with my kisses.

I flicked my tongue out then, beginning to trace it back along the bone then across her throat to reach the tip of her chin. The excited lust was blinding by now but again I felt a flash of nervousness as Alice's hands dropped from the tree to rest lightly upon my shoulders, and I leant back now, her touch snapping me out of the fiery lust that had held me captive for the past few minutes.

'Alice…'

I spoke softly so as not to startle her, taking the last small step forward until our bodies touched again. Her nervousness left as swiftly at it had shown itself by the mere contact between us, I wasn't sure if it was by her own device or whether I had willed it away for fear of upsetting her, and it had done so because of my gift.

Her eyes bore into mine as I watched her, trying to understand what it was, and she tilted her head to the side before placing a soft kiss to my lips.

'Jasper, what's wrong?'

I shook my head once.

'Alice…am I making you nervous?'

Alice giggled softly then before leaning closer into me, tracing feather light kisses along my neck the way I had done to her, but the nervousness flickered through me again and I leant away from her lips meeting her eyes again. I had been right, she was nervous because of me.

I exhaled softly and dropped my eyes to the ground between us, releasing my hands from where they had been resting on her hips, but her hands shot out quickly, taking hold of my arms. She had known I was about to move away and so had stopped me.

'No, Jasper. It's not…you that makes me nervous.'

I raised my eyes then to meet those golden orbs once again.

'Then what is it?'

She sighed softly and looked down but then quickly raised her eyes to mine again, the nerves and excitement now laced with embarrassment. It confused me and I looked down also only to realise that I too was partially excited and I dropped my hands to cover myself feeling slightly embarrassed also.

'Jasper…I've never…'

The embarrassment increased as did the nervousness, and it clicked then.

'You've never done…this with anyone?'

Alice shook her head quickly, closing her eyes and stepping back from me, her back touching the tree again and I forced myself to keep my eyes trained on her face for fear of losing control of my urges at the sight of her.

'I…had no idea, Alice. With the feelings I've been getting from you, I had no idea that you had never…I'm sorry.'

I stepped back then and bent to retrieve my trousers from the top of the pile, but Alice's hand appeared, gripping my wrist. I flinched from the flash of pain that the pressure of her hand gave me, she had not touched my still healing wound, but my venom still infected the area and it would remain sore for a few days, but Alice was too intent to remove her hand now.

'Jasper…please don't. I want this, I really do. And I want it to be you.'

I watched her eyes for a moment before straightening up and moving close to her again, this time wrapping my arms gently around her, comforting her physically instead of emotionally, I was still a bit pent up with passion to risk using my gift on her.

'Alice…I….'

'Jasper, please don't say that you can't, or won't. I do want this, I just…don't know what to expect. I mean, I know roughly what happens, but…other than that.'

I drew back a little, letting out my breath as I did so before drawing in another, inhaling her scent. I met her eyes again seeing the pleading that was there. She truly did want this, she truly did want me, but I was afraid of hurting her. If she had not told me the truth, I could have just gone on unknowingly and hurt her in the process. I exhaled again and looked down.

'If you really do want this…'

'Of course I do, Jazz!'

I nodded once before dropping my hands from her and turning away, smoothing out our strewn items of clothing before turning back to her seeing her questioning look. I smiled and stepped forward to her again.

'I want you to be comfortable'

She nodded with a smile as she realised my intentions, my want to give her comfort for what we were going to do. I wrapped my arms lightly around her again fixing my eyes on hers.

'Alice…if I hurt you, if you are uncomfortable at all, you must let me know. I never want to harm you.'

Alice smiled and nodded, a nervous giggle leaving her lips again and I vanished it away with another deep kiss. She separated her lips instantly, her tongue flicking out to catch mine and as I joined her, I scooped her from her feet and carried her to the make-shift bed of our clothes, dropping lightly to my knees and laying her down, never disconnecting our kiss.

The passion and lust was rising quickly from her again threatening to send me under and returning the lust needy monster again, but I fought it back, burying it deep inside for a little later. I wanted to be sure Alice was comfortable and at complete ease first.

I moved my lips from hers then and she released a soft moan of disparagement causing me to chuckle. I began to trace my kisses again, starting at her throat before moving to her collarbone again, then down the dip of her armpit before raising up along her chest until I reached her breast.

My hand traced along her opposite side following the movement my lips had before coming to rest parallel to my mouth, and at the same time I began to kiss and nibble gently at one nipple whilst massaging the other gently in rhythm.

Alice's back arched almost instantly as she let out a soft gasp, perhaps she hadn't known the sensation that could be had from what I was doing now. I teased each nipple, one between my lips, the other between my fingers before releasing both.

Her back flattened to the clothes again and I looked up meeting her eyes a moment. She opened her mouth as if to say something but I moved away, further down her body, tracing soft kisses as I went until I reached her naval. I dipped my tongue in and Alice bucked up suddenly taking me by surprise that I pulled back quickly to avoid her body hitting me in the face. I met her eyes and could feel the embarrassment rising within her, she would have been blushing if it were possible of her to.

'Oh…I'm sorry.'

I smiled showing that no harm had been done and leant up a moment to kiss her lips.

'Alice…just relax.'

She drew in a deep breath and nodded her head before closing her eyes. I watched her a moment before smiling and returning to her naval, this time kissing all the way around before trailing kisses first along to her left hip then across her stomach to her right hip. She bucked again but I had been anticipating it and moved before her bony hip could hit me in the eye. I exhaled quietly and leaned up looking to her.

'Alice…are you sure that you're ok with this? We don't have to…'

She cut me off with a shake of her head, her hand raising quickly for her finger to rest on my lips and I stared deep into her eyes. I could feel that she was still a little nervous but the lust was still there. If she was feeling that already having never experienced any of this then Lord help me afterwards. I smiled against her finger and pulled back a little.

'Ok. If you change your mind just let me know and I'll stop.'

Alice nodded again and I nodded once in response before manoeuvring myself lower down her body returning where I had left off at her right hip before trailing kisses down further, stopping just at the right spot. Alice's breathing had been picking up as I had gone lower. Her scent had increased along with the excitement pouring from her hitting me full force.

I knelt up then and gently trailed my hands, one down each leg from her hips to her ankles before gently putting pressure there. Alice knew of my intention and lifted her legs up so her knees bent before shuffling her feet apart so her legs opened.

I trailed one hand back up the length of her leg to her opening, massaging very gently to be sure that she was physically ready. Alice's hips bucked again at the slightest touch from me. I knew she was very ready for this and that it wouldn't take her long for the pleasure to come.

'Ok. Are you sure you're ready?'

Alice growled in response, too pent up with the pleasure to respond verbally and this made me chuckle. I knelt up then moving closer to her, wanting to take it as slow and cautious as I could hold myself back to, I didn't want to hurt her, especially since she had never experienced this before.

I carefully manoeuvred myself to settle just inside of her. Alice moaned instantly at the new sensation and the lust pulsated into me, threatening to turn me wild. I trembled a little but held the feelings back. I then leant down carefully to hover over Alice. I could feel the pressure fighting against me, she had never been taken in such a way, I would be her first, and I didn't want it to be a bad experience for her.

Alice opened her eyes to meet mine, wondering why I had stopped and I looked down a little before returning to her eyes answering her unasked question.

'I don't want to hurt you.'

Alice smiled then and raised her hand to gently stroke the back of her fingers down my cheek.

'You won't hurt me. I trust you. I love you, Jasper.'

I drew in a quick gasp of a breath surprised by her last few words. Did she really say that she loved me? I had known her just a few short days, she couldn't possibly know that yet. I looked down thinking a moment. Perhaps she did truly know that she loved me. She knew about me before I had even met her, she knows of our future, she must know if she loves me. I raised my eyes back to Alice's seeing the worry there, surprised at her own words, but my smile made the look in her eyes fade to happiness again. No one had ever told me they loved me.

'Jasper…please…'

Her voice had a very strong hint of want and need in them, her eyes closed again and her head tilted back. I wanted this to be perfect for her, special for her as it was the first time she had ever been taken by anybody.

I leant down a little closer, my lips barely brushing hers, but Alice raised her head from my shirt which had been acting as a pillow for her, and she crushed her lips almost viciously to mine, wanting, needing. I groaned softly against her lips but returned it with just as much force.

My hand lowered to her right ankle again, slowly brushing my way up the length of her leg until I reached the back of her knee, at which point I turned my hand to trace up the underside of her leg until I touched the middle of her thigh, the whole time, our lips crushed together and our tongues danced.

I knew Alice couldn't keep going for more longer, and yet it was hardly even begun. I used some pressure then, raising her thigh upwards against my side. I felt the internal pressure snap and Alice moaned against my lips before dropping her head onto my shirt, I scanned her eyes and her emotions quickly but I didn't see any pain, Alice was actually smiling.

'It's ok…you didn't hurt me.'

Her hand raised to stroke my cheek again having seen the concern on my face and her smile widened, she raised her head again to kiss me and moaned softly against my lips again as her movement forced me deeper inside of her, my own moan at the sensation mixed with hers.

I gently eased out part way before moving forward against Alice again, the heat of the passion increased ten fold just in this slightest movement, tapping into the lust I had pushed back, forcing that forward also, I pulsed it into Alice then and instantly her hips bucked upwards against mine causing us to moan simultaneously.

The want and need from Alice increased, mixing with my own as I began to move more, moving steadily faster within her, our lips never separating.

We remained like this for several minutes, I kept the movement smooth and rhythmic, until it became too much for me. I had been trying to keep those thoughts, those memories held back, but I should have known it would be of no use. Our kiss separated and Alice arched her back again, her head tilted backwards as she panted, drawing in fast gulps of air, but all I could picture was Maria demanding such things of me, never gently like Alice.

I closed my eyes tight and reopened them a second later, Alice still had her eyes closed, head tilted back, and moaning my name, but the damage was done, I could no longer concentrate on the beauty below me.

A tremble ran down my whole spine and I just wanted this to end. I pushed forward everything I had been holding in tight to protect Alice from, the overwhelming mix of passion and lust. Alice's breathing stopped all together as she bucked wildly below me and cried my name, I felt the burst of sheer ecstasy from her and knew she had reached her height.

I stopped moving then and allowed the feelings to stop flowing from me as they dissipated into nothingness between us, and leaning down once more I traced kisses along Alice's throat before finding her lips for a few seconds as I pulled out and away from her.

My trousers had been kicked aside during the love making and I grabbed them quickly, pulling them on and doing them up before the shoes joined them.

It took longer for Alice to come down from the height I had taken her to, a few minutes at least, but when she was down she placed her dress back on herself before dropping into my lap, her arms snaking around my neck as she pulled me into another sealed kiss which I allowed her to do.

I was keeping my emotions tight within myself now so she would not feel what I was feeling. How could I be so good for her if I became like this so often, withdrawing into my shell, my cage, the prison in my head where Maria kept me shackled.

Alice drew back with a giggle, still feeling the effects of our lovemaking and dashed off into the trees. I watched her go as she sprang through the grass and shrubs and danced between the trees like a fairy. I exhaled quietly and grabbed my discarded shirt tugging it on and doing up the buttons, the waist coat following, and the black tie was last, though I couldn't remember how it was meant to be tied up. I sighed and stood to my feet picking up the tie from the ground and looking to where I had last seen Alice, but she was no longer there.

I span in a circle scanning the area quickly but there was no sign of her.

'Alice…'

I spoke her name calmly and almost quietly knowing that she couldn't have gotten too far, and she would be able to hear me clearly, but when she made no sound to let me know where she was, I began to panic, a possible anxiety attack if I was capable of such a human thing. I span again searching the area but there was still no sight of her and I worried more, but before I could move to try and find her scent, a weight collided with me from above causing me to stumble a step as Alice landed on my back and kissed me neck and throat before giggling.

I sighed with relief, I had been worried something had happened in so short a time. Alice dropped from my back having heard my sigh and I half turned looking to her, her eyes locked with mine and I could see my own relief reflected in her amber eyes.

'Alice…please don't do that again, I was worried something had happened to you.'

Alice smiled and raised herself to kiss my lips once more before dropping back to the flats of her feet, her fingers snaking the tie from my hand and wrapping it quickly around my neck under the collar then her hands brushed my clothes over removing the creases that had been made by our lying upon them and she smiled again.

'Handsome as ever.'


	16. Chapter 16

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 16 - Alice POV **

I was euphoric as I pulled my dress back on, finally in all the years since I had awoken and been alone, I had never had feelings this strong and intense for anything or anyone for that matter and I revelled in it.

As I sat down in Jasper's lap and stole another kiss from him, although I was wrapped up in my own feelings, I could not sense anything from Jasper as I kissed him, certainly not the intense feeling I had felt wash over me from time to time whilst we made love, if they had been coming from him at all.

I was so wrapped up in the cloud of my own pleasure that my mind and body had felt slightly disconnected for a time, my mind trying to process the sensations well after my body had automatically responded to them.

I giggled then as I remembered and jumped out of Jasper's lap, I had genuinely been taken by surprise by my feelings for Jasper, they had completely caught me unaware when we had first met and had been building ever since, waiting for the opportunity to be released. I ran then into the forest, the excess force of the energy created by my joy needed a release of its own.

I jumped and twirled around like I was dancing, in-between the trees, I let my eyes un-focus so the greens and browns were a swirl around me for a moment, the cool breeze blowing scents of the woodland all around me, but I could still taste the remnants of Jaspers scent in my mouth and this pleased me. I smiled to myself.

Yes I had been nervous when the time came, I had not experienced the act of lovemaking with anyone and had little practical knowledge of what it entailed, and then having to admit that fact to Jasper had been a tense moment, I couldn't lie to him even if I wanted to, he had the experience behind him to tell if I had been, I was sure.

'Alice….' I heard him call my name as I passed behind a large trunk and I spun around to peek out from behind it to see if he was following me. There was no sign of him, so I quickly scaled the tree into the lower branches, looking back the way I had come and I saw him still standing where I had left him, but now he was turning around a look of concern of his face as he could not see me.

I giggled to myself again as I made my way back towards him, jumping from tree to tree, until I reached the tree he was standing under and I held my breath in the hope that he wouldn't hear me above him but I would have to be quick otherwise he would catch my scent. I crouched down waiting for the opportune second.

As he turned towards the trunk, I dropped out of the tree and landed almost silently on his back, the impact knocking him sideways slightly before he took a step to steady himself. I kissed his neck and throat as I giggled, thrilled that I had managed to take him by surprise after all. He sighed and I lowered myself back to standing as he turned to look at me.

'Alice…..please don't do that again, I was worried something had happened to you.'

I smiled up at him, so he had been worried silly thing what could have possibly happened in such a short space of time that I had been away from him. I reached up to kiss his lips to reassure him that I was fine and at the same time I reached for his hand and the tie he held. I replaced it around his neck and retied it and ran my hands down the waistcoat which had gotten slightly wrinkled where I had lain on it.

'Handsome as ever.' I said lightly as I looked him up and down, the clothes really suited him, he looked even more striking to me when he was smartly dressed. However when I reached his eyes, the look I saw there was not reflecting my own.

'What's the matter? I'm here, I didn't go far. Nothing happened, you needn't have been so worried, silly!'

I reached out and touched one of the buttons on the waistcoat casting my eyes down to it as I twisted it in between my fingers waiting for him to speak.

'I couldn't see where you went, I….,

He took a breath as he trailed off and this caused me to look into his face, he was frowning now.

It was obvious he was unhappy about something, I let my hand drop to my side, there was a distinct feeling of anxiety coming from him, I could only feel the merest hint of it, he was trying to hide it I was sure.

'Did I do something wrong? I know that I haven't done this before and I might have got a bit carried away with my own feelings and…..' He cut me short then.

'No Alice you were fine,' A slight smile touched the corner of his mouth as he spoke, but it did not cross his eyes.

I twisted uncomfortable under his gaze as I doubted myself for a moment, there was something bothering him I just needed to figure out what it was. The feeling of complete happiness that had filled me previously was now beginning to subside, he was hiding something, something he didn't want me to know.

'Is it because I said I love you? I know it is all a bit sudden, but I did mean it.'

I stared straight into his eyes to see if anything there would change by my direct question. I knew I was rambling, the words coming out in a rush, I was still feeling a little embarrassed by our talk of what had just happened. But I looked questioningly into his eyes, did he think that I had just said the words in that moment to get what I wanted from him?

'Nobody has ever said that to me until you did, Alice' he sighed again and an even bigger wave of emotion, the anxiety mixed with a small hint of calm touched me but quickly withdrew.

'So in all the time you were with her and after all the times you made love with her she never once told you that she loved you?'

My mouth had said those words just a second before my mind realised, I had spoken the thought without hesitation not stopping to even consider the impact that the mere mention of 'her', even I did not want to say her name even in my mind, would have on him. His eyes narrowed and a flash of anger reached out across the small space between us.

'No.'

His tone was strained and he said the word through his teeth which were clenched tight. I saw the panic flash through his eyes for just a second and then suddenly the realisation of what he must be thinking formed in my thoughts.

'You were thinking about her while we…' I took in a sharp breath 'While we…..' I couldn't finish, I didn't want to think it, I took a step back from him then, the anger starting to well up inside me.

Was he seeing her in his mind while he was touching me, while his lips and hands had traced across _my_ skin?

'Alice I…' his voice had an edge of pleading to it and he took a step forward to close the gap between us as he held out his hand as if to touch my arm, but his hesitation and the slight tremble in his voice seemed to confirm what I was thinking. I automatically took another two steps back, and I was trembling slightly now mirroring his voice, the uncertainty and the anger were starting to crush my chest.

I took in another sharp breath as a feeling of rejection joined the anger and panic that was now flowing through me like a torrent, I couldn't tell any more whether the feelings were entirely mine or if Jasper was unleashing any of his gift.

I tried to speak quietly to control the tremble in my voice, 'I said I would help you, to free you from the nightmare your life had become and I meant every word, I have tried _everything_,' it was my turn now to clench my teeth tight as I stressed the word to stop myself from raising my voice to anger, but it was coming I could feel it and I did not know how much longer I could contain it as the crushing feeling in my chest became heavier like it would stop my breath any moment.

'I stayed even after you tried to kill me!' my voice rose a pitch and my hands clenched into fists at my sides, his face was now beginning to crumble as he stared at me but now I felt no pity, I was too consumed by my own emotions to even register anything that Jasper might be trying to express or to convey to me.

'I showed you how I felt about you, I've never felt so strongly for anyone,' my voice was louder now, the anger was winning, I was spitting the words now and my fists closed tighter my nails digging into my palms. Jasper's shoulders begin to turn inwards towards his chest, I don't even think he was aware that he was doing it, as his eyes were riveted to mine but his stare was blank as if my words were physical blows to him and he was somehow trying to shield himself from them.

The crushing in my chest was now excruciatingly tight, I took in another sharp breath as I continued, the words spilling out of me.

'I gave myself to you!' I was almost shouting now and Jasper stumbled back a step. 'And all the time you were thinking of HER!' The last word came out as a snarling growl.

I was truly trembling now, the sudden urge to flee, to get away from here hit me and without hesitation, I spun around and started to run, my breath coming in short rasping gasps, the trees a blur in my peripheral vision although I could see clearly in a narrow line ahead of me.

My eyes pricked as the venom flowed in uncontrollable bursts through them and I had to swallow as it filled my mouth. My legs pushed me faster, as fast as I could go through the forest, I had not even registered which direction I was running, it didn't even really matter as long as I was moving, moving away from him, the pain and anguish I felt was still heavy on my chest.

I ran and ran….. the forest melted away behind me, and started to give way to a range of mountains. I ranged out my hearing for a moment but I could not hear anything but the wind. Was he following me?

I didn't care at that moment if he was, but as I ran further and thought back to how his face had looked in those last moments before I had left, the look of pain mixed with the fear, the tightening in my chest began to give way slightly and was replaced by choking sobs that now threatened to escape from my mouth in between the gasping breaths.

I had reached about half way up a small slope at the base of a larger mountain and I could see in the distance the sun as a hazy yellow ball in the sky as it made its slow descent behind a mountain on the horizon, so I had run west, and the day was nearly at an end, but not for me.

I slowed now to a walk and then stopped and dropped down to the ground, the tightening in my chest had almost totally gone and it was replaced by an emptiness, my anger too was totally gone but a deep feeling of despair was lingering.

I curled my arms around my waist and closed my eyes as I sat on the grass. My mind was filled with images of what had just happened, Jasper standing alone and helpless against my unerring anger and fury, my breathing started to come in gasps again as I hated myself for what I had done to him.

He had given me cause to be angry I was sure, but I had reacted in the most horrible way possible, when Jasper had unleashed the full feelings of love from me had it awoken the opposite emotion of hate at the same time? The angel and the demon? Was I capable of both? I must be.

I tried to calm myself, to control my breathing and slowly the gasps were gone and my breathing was slow and steady. I would go back, try to find Jasper if that was still even possible, to throw myself at his feet and beg forgiveness if I had to. I had acted just in the same way as she had done, I had done everything I vowed to myself that I would not do to him, I had hurt him badly, I had broken my promise to him. I had to find him again and tell him I was sorry, however long it took if he was gone, I would find him again.

I slowly rose to my feet, and as I stood straight, the flicker began to form in my mind, I at first thought that the vision would be of what I had now decided what I was about to do, to give me some insight as to whether I would find him, and as I saw the forms taking shape in my mind, I could see a dark shape in the centre and as it became clearer, I could see what looked like a person, but the build was wrong,.

He was broad shouldered, hefty, the hair was black, wearing a leather jacket, I couldn't quite make out the surroundings, they were a hazy blur, but I was not worried about that, I was focusing in now on the man, I was sure it was a man as the hair was short just above the collar line but his back was to me, I couldn't see his face, to see if I recognised him, when suddenly he started to turn slowly towards me.

The side of his face came into view and his eye immediately caught my attention, it was crimson in colour.

A distinct sense of fear started to play in my mind as he fully turned to face me a leering grin started to form on his lips, but I was drawn once again to his eyes, those crimson eyes. I had no conscious recollection of having seen him before but the feeling of panic and fear was now more prevalent.

I was then suddenly aware of something else, someone was calling my name, just a distant sound coming from somewhere far off, but it was definitely not the stranger that I could still see so clearly.

Then the vision started to fade and my eyes started to clear and I started to become more aware of the bluish purple that was now the sky around the edges of my vision, however the sick feeling of the fear had me trembling as the blackness started to slowly recede into the centre of my eyes.

I felt something touching my arm, and my hand shot out, my fingers curled into a claw and a vicious growl escaped my lips. My vision was almost totally clear again now but my whole body was trembling and something was holding my arm tightly by the wrist strong and almost crushing.

I blinked and my vision finally cleared, but it took me a second to register the face I now saw. Jasper was standing in front of me a look of deep concern on his face, my right hand was raised up and outwards inches from his face and he was gripping my wrist tightly. My whole body was shaking and trembling and my breath was once again coming in rasping gasps.

'Alice, Alice its me.' He reached out and took hold of my other arm, as if he was afraid that I could not stand upright without his help. I started to relax my right hand.

'What did you see? Alice please tell me!'

I took two more gasping breaths but all I could hear my mouth say in a rasping sound was two words,

'He's coming….


	17. Chapter 17

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 17 - Jasper POV**

'Alice, I…'

I could feel the anger rising up within her and it tore at my un-beating heart. I had never wanted to give Alice cause to be angry with me. The most I had expected would be for Alice to be angry with me if I happened to slip up and feed from a human, but for this? I didn't even understand what it was she was angry with me for.

I stepped forward closing the small gap between us and raised my hand to place it gently on hers, but she shot backwards two steps, a tremble running through her body, and I couldn't help my eyes narrow just slightly as I tried to understand what had caused her to be like this.

I felt a mixed array of emotions flooding from Alice. Rejection, anger, hatred. I wanted nothing more than to comfort her but in my attempt to do so my own panic seeped out. I had not known Alice long, but already the thought of losing her was heart shattering, and I could see that something was distressing her, something I must have said or done, and bit by bit, I was already losing her, and the panic only increased.

'I said I would help you, to free you from the nightmare your life had become and I meant every word, I have tried _everything_, I stayed even after you tried to kill me!'

I tensed as the anger from Alice increased until it was at the peak of turning into pure fury. I thought I would never have to feel this again, and certainly not from Alice, but the effect was the same as if it were coming from Maria herself. My body grew more tense and I tried to fight back the tremble that threatened to travel through my body at the intense emotions flooding me from Alice.

My instinct was to stay completely still, the slightest movement would cause more anger, more aggression, I had learned this long ago, and so now I did the same out of habit, dropping my head a little and taking it all in as was intended, though still I had no understanding of what I was being punished for.

Alice continued to rant, her words taking a harsh edge and the fury swelling from her only increased until I felt like my head would implode, I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from making a sound under the pressure of her anger but even the sting of the venom in my mouth was not as painful as her stinging words. My chest began to stab just as painfully and my shoulders twitched as my arms longed to move protectively to my chest, but I forced them to remain at my sides not wanting to make a movement, not wanting to enforce more anger and pain.

I kept my eyes on Alice's, seeing the darkness in those once beautiful golden eyes. I saw all the hatred and anger there that I was feeling deep within and I wanted badly to try and calm her with my gift, but again instinct told me not to, it would incur more wrath from her.

'I gave myself to you!'

Alice was at the point of shouting and it took me by surprise, I stumbled back a step to avoid her, though she had made no movement to strike out at me, it had felt as though she were about to from the feelings she was emitting and the bite in her words.

'And all the time you were thinking of HER!'

I tensed more as Alice snarled the last word. It took me a moment to focus through the emotions to understand what Alice had said, instead I was more focused on the vicious tone of her voice as it took on the same aggressive bite that I had heard hundreds of times before. She sounded just like Maria.

I watched as Alice trembled uncontrollably before me, again the urge to comfort her, to have her see sense, was so strong, but the instinct, the habit, was stronger. I twitched just slightly to raise my arm to her again but she was already moving, already running from me, and the intensity of the anger and hatred she left in her wake was so painful and powerful that it dropped me to my knees, my hands raising to my temples as my eyes clenched closed, trying hard to stop the pain but it was too strong.

It took a few minutes for the pressure left from the emotions to subside. It had been so long since I had felt anything with such force as what I had just endured, and I had never expected for it to come from one so gentle and caring as Alice.

I shifted from my knees so I was sat on the ground drawing in slow jagged breaths as the pressure continued at a dull throb in my mind. I hadn't understood why Alice had suddenly become so angry and vicious towards me until the moment before she had ran away. She thought I had been thinking of Maria the whole time.

Well she was partially right. I had been thinking of Maria, but not for the whole time and certainly not in the way that Alice assumed I had. I could see now that Alice was a very perceptive individual, but not always correct, at least not this time.

I exhaled shakily and pushed myself to my feet, the lasting effects of what I had just experienced caused my legs to feel weak. I knew it was not just a residual feeling, I was weak, it had taken a lot out of me to keep the emotions Alice had thrown at me bottled up to the point that I had.

It's how Maria had learned best to damage me. There was only so much she could do physically, by starving me of blood for weeks at a time, or biting me to flood her venom into my body, but to mentally torture me with her emotions and to weaken me by doing so had been her most successful punishment.

I trembled again as I inhaled and raised my head wearily to look onwards to the distance. Alice was no longer in sight though her scent was still strong and beckoned me to follow her, though I knew I was not wanted by her anymore. She had gotten the situation completely wrong, and acted rashly on that, I was hardly at fault, but this was how she had me perceived in her mind now, and there would be no changing that.

I did want to go after her, my un-beating heart ached greatly at the thought of being without her as I was now, but I still hurt deeply from the emotional wreck she had turned me into. Weakened as I was now, if I were to follow only to endure it all again from her, I would be in no decent state anymore, and death would be a welcome release.

I drew in a deep breath of the crisp clean air as it trailed through the trees. Alice's lingering scent hit me full force causing my chest to ache even more and my left foot moved forward to follow her. I had to go after her, to at least let her know that what she thought of me was wrong, and if she continued to vent anger at me then I would welcome it with open arms, along with destruction.

My right foot followed, and in less than a second, I was running after Alice, following her scent that stung me like a strike from her own hand with every breath I took. I stumbled once but kept my feet going, knowing that when I found Alice, she would not want me near her, but I had to see her again even if it were the last image I ever saw.

Alice's scent led out of the forest. The last rays of the sun glinted off my skin for a brief moment as it dipped behind the mountains and finally disappeared. I could smell the scent stronger now and I followed until I began climbing upwards, the steepness of the mountain slowed my climb as I became more weary.

It was almost a welcome relief when I saw Alice ahead. She stood on an outcrop of rock above me, but even from my low vantage point I knew that something was wrong. The anger and hatred that Alice had been feeling towards me had disappeared and was now replaced with…fear.

Was she afraid of me? Had she seen me coming and was afraid I would do her harm? The mere thought of this clenched my chest tightly and I stopped a distance away. Why had I come after her if I was causing her to feel fear?

Another tremble ran through me and I took a step back, part turning to leave but the feeling of fear increased. Surely if she could see me retreating it should lessen and not increase. I turned back looking up to Alice. She still stood rigid on the outcrop, still in the same position and the fear flowed from her so strongly now. Something was not right, and it didn't seem to be my doing.

I called her name, hoping to get some reaction from her but there was none, so I tried again, beginning to climb upwards towards her, keeping my movements cautious in case I was wrong.

Through the whole climb, the fear only continued to increase and again I considered turning away and leaving her, but something kept me rising up the mountainside to her, something deep down told me I had to go to her despite my instinct telling me to back off, that I was the cause of this.

I kept my body tense as I reached Alice's side in case my instinct had been right, but even now there was no movement from her and the fear was so heavy it began to hurt as the pressure in my head returned. I cautiously reached out to rest my hand on Alice's arm and again spoke her name, but there was no response. I moved round to stand directly in front of her and that's when I noticed what had been wrong.

Alice's eyes were dark and distant, her body still trembling, but I knew this wasn't my doing. She was seeing something, something only she could see. The future.

I tensed as Alice's hand suddenly shot out aimed for my face, her fingers clenched into claws as if to gouge out my eyes, a vicious warning growl left her lips, but decades of war had left me with sharp reflexes, and as weak as I was, I was still fast enough to catch her wrist before her fingers could even come within inches of my face. I kept her wrist held tight, not wanting to hurt her, but also not wanting her to hurt me.

Alice finally blinked then and the slightest look of recognition crossed her eyes. I became greatly concerned for her, something she had seen had caused her great fear, and to strike out unknowingly, I could see the surprise in her eyes for a fleeting moment as she realised how close she had come to possibly blinding me, but that look quickly fled from her eyes returning to fear and it increased in my head. I could feel her trembling uncontrollably, but I was in too much discomfort to risk trying to calm her.

'Alice. Alice, it's me.'

I tried to reassure her by confirming that I was here though I was not sure that this was a good thing yet. I raised my other hand to take her left arm, more to support her than restrain her. She was trembling so much I feared she might collapse, and I took a small step closer not caring that I was now closer to her clawed hand.

As if to reassure my mind, Alice's hand began to relax, the claw dropping to almost resting on my own wrist, though never touching, even so I kept my grip on her wrist and kept my focus on her eyes.

'What did you see? Alice please tell me!'

Alice struggled to draw breaths, the trembling was becoming more intense that her voice was raspy when she spoke.

'He's coming….'

I tensed, though it was not out of pain, but out of deep concern again. I felt Alice's wrist flinch beneath my hand and I was quick to remove the grip I had had on her. Her hand dropped to her side limply when I released her for fear of hurting her, and as I had expected, Alice slumped forward.

I moved fast, catching her as she fell, and scooped her quickly into my arms. I walked forward so as to keep us both from the drop below us, before kneeling down and gently setting Alice to sit against the rocky wall of the mountain.

My eyes scanned hers quickly, the gold that I was becoming used to had returned following her vision, but the fear was still there. I needn't have looked to know it, it was pressing down hard on me. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for just a second, pushing the fear away from both Alice and myself, to give myself enough mental room for other emotions also. When I opened my eyes Alice was staring right at me. I was so close to her I could see the red of my eyes reflected in hers, I could even see that the usual black flecks were lighter, beginning to turn golden.

I leant back a little, lowering my eyes from her gaze, needing to compose myself, before gently pushing forward a soothing calm to help relax her. It took a moment to take effect, longer than it normally would, but I was so emotionally, mentally and physically drained after the days events.

I felt Alice's trembling begin to ease as my gift took effect, and returned my eyes to hers. She drew in a final shuddery breath before her breathing became calmer and more controlled.

'Alice…what did you see?'

I asked again, as I wasn't sure she had heard me the first time, or if she had, she had been too afraid to answer me, she had only said that 'he' was coming.

Alice drew in another deep breath before disconnecting her eyes from mine and looking down, her hands clenching together.

'It was hard to make out at first…but there was a man there. Our kind. His eyes were so dark red, he had fed recently.'

I was picturing her vision in my mind as she spoke it, to try and get some form of idea as to what she had seen, but when she mentioned feeding, my mind wandered. I saw myself feeding, ripping into the throat of an innocent. I could almost smell and taste the sweet human blood, and a lusting growl escaped my throat without my noticing it.

'Jasper!'

I flinched and snapped out of it, looking down to see Alice's hand clenching on my own. I raised my eyes quickly to meet hers, seeing the concern within them. I dropped my head shamefully unable to keep it from seeping from me.

'Sorry….what else did you see?'

I could feel Alice still watching me, but after a few seconds she continued.

'He wore a black leather jacket, and he had dark short hair. He was facing away at first but then he turned as if he could see me. He was grinning…it's like he was waiting for me….wanting me.'

I tensed at Alice's words and turned my gaze quickly away, pulling my hand from Alice's so that she would not be harmed by my tenseness. I looked around quickly scanning the area from our high vantage point. It was becoming dark quickly though our vampire sight was well matched for darkness, seeing as easily as if it were day. I saw nothing but the forest below where we had spent the day, more mountains in the distance, a wide river on the southern half of the forest, and even the farm house and fields where we had taken the clothes from, still deserted in the dark.

I turned, looking back to Alice now.

'Did you recognise him?'

Alice shook her head and looked down, clenching her hands in her lap again.

'Alice, did you see anything around him? Anything that might give us a clue to his location? Landmarks?'

Alice shook her head again and I exhaled quietly, half turning to look around us again. Someone was coming…apparently after Alice. We didn't know where he was, and right now I didn't even know where we were which in my eyes gave is a very bad disadvantage.

'I'm sorry, Jasper…'

I snapped my eyes back to Alice again. Her voice had been so quiet, so childlike, that it had taken me by surprise.

'It's ok. Maybe if you get another vision we might have some idea of his location.'

I went to stand then but Alice's hand shot out from her lap, snagging my wrist and holding me in position.

'No, Jasper…I mean I'm sorry for shouting at you like that.'

I stared into Alice's eyes for a long time after those words. I knew I must have deserved her to be that way with me for some reason. It's what I had become used to thanks to Maria. She would punish me emotionally like that with no given cause to and would have me believing that I deserved it. But all I knew is that I had not deserved it for what Alice assumed I had done.

I looked down after a few minutes of silence before slowly lifting my wrist, Alice's hand slipped effortlessly from me back into her lap, and I stood, turning away to check the area again.

'Jasper…really…I'm….'

'Don't'

I didn't turn back to face her, instead I moved further away, dropping my hands behind my back and standing on the edge of the outcropping of rocks to get a better view. The one word I had spoken softly. I wanted her to know I was not upset with her for how she had treated me, that I knew I must deserve it, but those words would not come.

I tensed as I felt movement behind me, and turned my head just slightly to see Alice in my peripheral vision.

'Jasper…'

I turned my face away again.

'We need to leave here. If he has your scent he could follow us anywhere, but here we are at a disadvantage.'

I drew in a shallow breath trying to catch scents on the air, but other than the fresh mountain air carrying the faint animal and forest scents, there was nothing more. I straightened up more, as I normally did when I slipped back into my old soldier ways, and tried to think logically. We were in a very open place, and with mountains at our backs it would leave us trapped. I would be unlikely to take him down alone but if he did catch up to us then I would certainly give it a good try. But for now we needed a way of masking our scent, throwing him from our trail.

'Wait here…please.'

I glanced once to Alice before turning and continuing higher up the mountainside. I needed a higher vantage point to try and find a solution. I knew that if we stayed in the open that we would be sitting ducks just waiting for him to strike, whoever he was.

It only took a couple of minutes to reach high enough up the mountain. I turned in every direction. On all sides there were nothing but mountains, hilly terrain, rivers, forests…and then it caught my eye, far off in the distance to the northwest, I had not seen it before because the mountain I stood on was blocking the view. Far on the horizon was the faint orange glow that I had been searching for. Lights from a far off town.

When I got back down to Alice, she was sat against the stone wall again, and I moved to stand in front of her, my hands dropping to my lower back, unable to keep the authoritative tone from my voice.

'We need to move. There's a town to the northwest, maybe half a days travel at our speed.'

Alice raised her eyes quickly to mine and I dropped my gaze instinctively.

'A town?…'

I nodded my head once and turned partially away.

'If we stay in the open we are easy targets. In a town there will be too much distraction for him. Too many scents, and many humans to keep him too tempted to follow us.'

Alice continued to watch me, but when I turned back to her, her eyes were distant again. I didn't sense the same fear from before, now there was nothing but calm, and when her eyes returned there was even a faint trace of a smile on her lips.

'Yes, I can't see him finding us easily. Too much distraction like you said.'

I stepped forward, bringing my right hand from behind my back offering it to Alice to help her to stand. She hesitated, her eyes quickly scanning mine, before taking my hand and rising to her feet. I turned away attempting to drop her hand as I went to take a step to descend the mountain, but Alice held my hand tight and pulled me back round to face her, her left hand rising quickly to rest on my cheek, and I couldn't help the flinch that came from this action.

Alice noticed it and instantly dropped her hand, but her eyes continued to bore into mine.

'You're very thirsty again. You're….weak. I don't understand….'

She dropped her gaze, her eyes quickly checking over me as if checking for a wound but there was none…none external to be seen at least.

'I'll feed when we reach the town. Come we must go.'

I turned away again, but again Alice's hand held me back, gripping tighter this time.

'You mean to feed from humans? But Jasper…'

Her concern swept into me like a fast current and my eyes clenched shut at the onslaught. I tensed again as I felt the soft touch of Alice's hand come to rest on my cheek again.

'Jasper…open your eyes…please.'

I drew in a steady breath before opening my eyes again, seeing all the concern written in Alice's eyes. I dropped my gaze to the ground between us, which was mirrored by Alice again dropping her hand from my face.

'Jasper…please talk to me.'

'I am weak. And I cannot protect you in this state. I must feed…and animal blood will not give me the strength I need to protect you.'

Alice gasped when my words confirmed what she must have been fearing already. I intended to keep her safe, and if it came to a fight between myself and this strange vampire from her vision, then I would need strength.

'Jasper…even with strength, I don't think you can win this fight. Not alone.'

I shook my head wearily before raising my eyes to meet Alice's again but she knew my thoughts before I could even speak them, she had seen my decision.

'You already know that though….and you will fight anyway, even if it means your death.'

Her sadness overwhelmed my weakened state, and my legs threatened to spill me to the ground again, but instead I pushed the sadness away and turned, wrenching my hand from Alice's so she could not hold me back again. I moved only a few steps before her sobbed words froze me again.

'Is this because of what happened? Because I shouted at you?'

I half turned to Alice, keeping my eyes cast to the ground.

'No, Alice. I deserved your wrath.'

I felt the anger begin to build again, fuelled by my words and Alice's already existing sadness, the flood of emotions sliced straight through my remaining strength and my legs gave way, dropping me to my hands and knees like a cowering slave.

The anger ceased immediately but the sadness remained as Alice dashed to my side, dropping to her knees also, her arms quickly snaking their way around me as I trembled weakly in her grasp.

'Alice…'

'No, shh….I'm sorry…'

'Alice…I thought of Maria, but only for a second, and not in the way you think.'

Alice had tensed at first at my so called confession of thinking of Maria whilst we had made love, but her sadness turned to confusion.

'I don't understand.'

Her hands gripped me gently, manoeuvring me so that I was a bit straighter, sat back on my knees as her hands kept a constant support on me and her eyes sought out mine, though I did not remove my gaze from the ground.

'I remembered…how it felt…having to do such things for her….using my gift to heighten her pleasure, the same as I was doing for you. I swear that's all I thought of in that moment, then it faded and it was only you again.'

My voice became choked as I confessed, and Alice's arms gripped a little tighter around me, her hand beginning to rub gently across my back though the tenseness of my body would not relax. Her curious emotions had faded to realisation now. She realised that what I spoke of was the truth, and that because of her reaction, she had become Maria for those moments as she vented her fury at me. And here I was now, a crumpled weak mess upon the mountainside, no more able to hold my own weight on my legs than protect her now when she needed it.


	18. Chapter 18

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 18 - Alice POV**

'No, Alice. I deserved your wrath.'

I felt the tinge of angry emotions coming from Jasper as he uttered the words just before he slumped to the ground. To see him like that, totally broken, knowing that I had more than a hand in that, that I was the cause, deepened the total sadness I now felt and the heaviness in my chest returned. Without hesitation, I was on the ground with him, I caught him up in my arms as he trembled.

'Alice…'

'No, shh….I'm sorry…' I spoke softly, I didn't want to hurt him anymore than I already had.

'Alice…I thought of Maria, but only for a second, and not in the way you think.' I tensed at the mention of her name, but I was confused now by his words, so if not in the way I thought, then how?

'I don't understand.' As I encouraged him to explain, I slowly pushed him back so he was on his knees so I could see his face but he would not meet my gaze. I steeled myself for what was to come, determined to keep my anger in check this time no matter what he said next.

'I remembered…how it felt…having to do such things for her….using my gift to heighten her pleasure, the same as I was doing for you. I swear that's all I thought of in that moment, then it faded and it was only you again.'

He couldn't speak any more his voice cracked with the confession and I instinctively tightened my arms around him as I felt the need to soothe him. My hand moved softly up and down his back as his words played through my head again. I had judged him so harshly and unjustly, so wrongly so.

How could I not expect him to think about his past when he was with me? It was such a bigger part of his life before we had met than I was and as we had only know each other a couple of days I knew that I could not totally replaced his thoughts with memories of us so quickly.

I pulled him closer still, the trembling was still strong. I was so relieved he had followed me, so glad that I did not have to face the anguish of not finding him where I had left him, if he had been gone when I returned and of not having to search for him.

I spoke softly into his ear 'I was coming back to find you, before ….before the vision came.' A shiver ran down my spine as I saw a glimpse of a face I did not want to see at that moment. I quickly pushed it aside and continued.

'I've broken the promise I made to you, I've hurt you and for that I am truly sorry,' I took in a breath and Jaspers familiar scent filled my nostrils.

'The feelings I have for you are the strongest I've ever know and you know that to be true, and when I thought you were thinking about…,' I remained calm as I whispered, the trembling from Jasper was easing, the hand that had been moving across his back, I raised it up now and tangled my fingers in his hair.

'I think I was jealous, and that translated itself into anger, I want you to be mine in everyway possible, I felt empty without you, when I realised what I had done and that I had left you there all alone that's why I was coming back, to beg you to forgive me.'

I moved my face away from his ear then so I could look directly into his eyes, but they were closed. As he sensed me looking at him his eyes slowly opened.

'I need you, and not just to protect me from what's coming,' He tensed again at the thought. 'I want you to stay because you want it too, not because you feel you have to. I can't be without you.'

The familiarly warm feeling that I experienced in Jasper's presence was coming back, as his scent hit me again as I paused to take a breath.

'Can you forgive me?'

As I stared deep in his eyes, I steeled myself again for his response, I hoped he would stay, if he decided to leave, to push me away, say that he never wanted to see me again then I would gladly throw myself directly in the path of the stranger, force him to attack me if I had to so that I would not have to feel the pain of separation from Jasper for long.

'I don't think I can be without you either somehow, that's why I came after you,' his eyes softened as he spoke and he raised his hand and his fingers gently traced my jaw-line.

As they made contact with my skin, the warm feeling exploded in my chest, my skin once again burned at his touch, the corner of his mouth turned slightly upwards, no doubt he could feel my emotions intensify even at such a small gesture from him.

He slowly edged forward and closed the gap between us and his lips touched mine. I couldn't help but tighten the grip on both my arm still around his back and the one in his hair as I pressed my lips firmly to his in response. Maybe he only wanted to kiss me gently, reassuringly but I wanted more.

I let my lips part and my tongue touched his lower lip and he then allowed me to part his as I slowly slid my tongue further into his mouth, seeking a reaction from his. Our tongues once again met and all I could taste was him. We kissed deeply for a few moments but even through the intensity we both knew that we could not remain as we were for long.

He broke contact first, drawing himself back, and when he felt my reluctance as our lips parted, he reached forward quickly again to place with a small parting kiss to my lips. 'We have to go,'

'I know,' I sighed as I released my hands and we both got to our feet.

We slowly started to make our way back down the mountainside. As we walked I reached out and took Jasper's hand. I was sure he had forgiven me if only for now, and although we were together walking side by side I did not want us to be separated physically if we could help it until we absolutely had to be. He squeezed my fingers and smiled.

'It will be fine. Just let me know if you see anything else that can help us.' I nodded I could feel the apprehension start to flutter in my stomach, I did not want to have to remember that leering face, but I knew I would have to bring it back to mind sooner or later, but not quite yet, as I did not want it to intrude just at that moment.

As we reached the base of the mountainside, we started to quicken into a run, I let Jasper tow me along this time, he knew where we were going better than I did for once so I just tried to concentrate on remaining calm. Jaspers face was stern, he must be making plans.

I did not even mind that Jasper was obviously thinking about the possible events to come, it was his nature after all, his years of experience and training would be in the forefront of his mind when possible danger was near. But it still bothered me that he would have to return to his old ways because of me, why was this happening? The countryside flew past us, but I was still a little preoccupied with my own thoughts to notice much as we past.

We had been running for a few hours now although the pace was not as fast as it had been when we had run together before, Jasper was obviously still weakened, and I knew it was all my doing. Why had this stranger chosen to make his way into my future now and what did he want? These questions played in my thoughts as I tried to think back to if I had ever encountered him before, but if I had surely I would remember and I would not have reacted so violently to the vision of him as I had. I tried to rationalise the fear that I had felt at seeing him.

Perhaps it was because in my mind I knew that this would cause myself or Jasper pain somehow. Jasper squeezed my hand again distracting me, 'Alice what is it?' His face was concerned, he must be feeling some of the anxiety which had crept into my feelings from my thoughts.

'Nothing, I'm okay, just thinking, same as you are, but nothing new.' I could see a faint glow on the horizon and we were heading straight for it. 'Is that where we are going?' I nodded towards the small patch of light.

'Yes that's the town, we'll find a place to stop once we get there.'

I remained quiet as we ran the last distance, I tried to focus to see if I could see where we would end up and as we drew closer to the town, a few miles out, a picture of an old building began to form in my head.

'I can see a building.'

'Where?' Jasper asked.

'I'm not quite sure, but I think its on the right side of town, its boarded up, the windows have wooden slats over the lower windows, brick built.' My brow furrowed as I concentrated to get a clearer picture. Jasper started to steer us right so we could approach the town from the direction I had suggested.

'Yes I can see it's a warehouse of some sort,'

I scanned my vision upwards the words Johnson's Wholesale Packing and Shipping became clear. We were now approaching the outskirts of the town.

Jasper's pace slowed as he scanned the area looking for any signs of movement. A faint trace of human scent passed in the breeze. I froze and he stopped too, I quickly glanced over to him. He was holding his breath. He had obviously detected the scent before I had and I anxiously looked at his face to see if he was showing any signs of bolting from me at any second. I tightened the grip on his hand.

'Jasper we don't have to do this we can find another way.'

'No, I'll be alright, lets just move quickly.' He answered through his clenched teeth.

He started moving again, his eyes constantly scanning back and forth as we swiftly made our way around the outskirts, darting in and out of the shadows to keep us as concealed as was possible. But at this time of the night, just before the dawn broke there were no humans around this far out. I concentrated again to try and gain a direction on where the building was, a corner street sign at a cross roads came into my mind.

'I see Swan Avenue and Hill Street,' I whispered to Jasper.

I wasn't quite sure why I was whispering, even if there was anyone around, it would be beyond human hearing if I spoke at this volume. He nodded, dropped my hand, turned and started to ascend the building we were now standing with our backs to.


	19. Chapter 19

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 19 - Jasper POV**

Alice's reluctance to the end of our kiss would have had me chuckling if the situation were not so dire. If I had moved much further back from her I'm sure I would have seen a pout come to her mouth, but I vanished the mere possibility of it by landing one more final kiss to those perfect lips.

'We have to go'

I felt a slight twinge of regret then, but it was not of my own and Alice sighed as she confirmed that she knew we had to be moving. She untangled her hand from my hair and we both got to our feet. I was still feeling the effects of the emotional attack and I almost stumbled but Alice was close enough to me to help me stand.

As we descended the mountainside, Alice's hand reached for mine and again it seemed like it fit so perfectly into mine, like it was natural and meant to be, but through the contact I felt a strong emotion coming from Alice and I tensed just a little and assumed her mind was elsewhere as she recalled the threat that was shadowing us. I squeezed her hand gently for reassurance.

'It will be fine. Just let me know if you see anything else that can help us.'

When we reached the bottom of the mountain, I picked up the pace, following east around the side of the mountain we had been on, following a winding dirt track as it cut between the neighbouring rock face, then I turned northwest, able to see the orange glow in the far distance when we reached the top of a hillock before it descended into more forest.

The whole time I kept my mind completely blank. I knew that the danger was coming, though not how soon it would arrive. It could be a matter of hours, days or weeks, but it was coming and I would need to prepare.

I had told Alice previously that I could not protect her as weak as I was at this moment, and animal blood was doing nothing to give me strength as my body was not used to it. I would need to feed in the town, feed from humans, to give me the strength I would need.

I cast a quick glance back to Alice as she kept a hold of my hand and kept my pace, though I could see from her eyes that she too was deep in thought, fretting over the danger, or over what had happened between us.

I do not blame Alice for what happened. Yes, she had been wrong about me, but I must deserve it for something. I exhaled quietly as I looked ahead again. Our progress was slowing as my body weakened more, and I mentally cursed myself for this but knew nothing could be done of it. We could spare no time to stop.

I drew in several breaths of air to check our surroundings as we ran, but other than the scent of trees and nocturnal animals, there was no threat. But yes, I would need to feed soon. I just dreaded doing so. It would destroy what Alice had created in me over the past couple of days. I wasn't handling the new diet as well as I could, and yes, I had almost slipped up once already, but now I had no wish to return to my old ways.

To feeling the surprise, the pain, from my victims as I attacked and fed from them. At least with the animals there were no emotions, none that I felt at least.

I shook my head a little to clear my thoughts. The blood would come in time, I could feel my throat burning viciously for want of human scent to begin the frenzy, but I forced this sensation aside, I had other things to think of now. I felt myself slipping back to my old ways already as my mind raced through scenarios, tactics, everything I had ever learned from fighting for Maria, and other things I knew but did not remember where I had the knowledge from, I just assume it was another thing I had blocked out over time.

After a few hours of running I felt a slight falter in Alice's emotions. Sadness mixed with anxiety and it set my mind on full alert instantly as I drew in another sharp breath to check the area, but all seemed to be fine. I squeezed Alice's hand again alerting her to the fact that I had noticed a change in her.

'Alice what is it?'

I had glanced back to check that Alice was ok, and could see her eyes now as they scanned my face, no doubt seeing that I was concerned.

'Nothing, I'm okay, just thinking, same as you are, but nothing new.'

So she had noticed that I had been distant for a while as I thought through things that I would need to do to protect her. She was certainly perceptive. Her eyes left mine then to look ahead and I followed her gaze as we continued running.

'Is that where we are going?'

'Yes that's the town, we'll find a place to stop once we get there.'

I had returned to running through my old training in my mind when Alice's emotions ceased completely and I again looked to her seeing her eyes had blanked a little.

'I can see a building.'

I kept my gaze ahead taking more caution now, and my hand gripped Alice's a little more as I guided her, my pace slowing some more to not effect her vision as I enquired to where the building was. Was this the location of the attacker?

'I'm not quite sure, but I think its on the right side of town, its boarded up, the windows have wooden slats over the lower windows, brick built. Yes I can see it's a warehouse of some sort,'

I had began heading right to skirt around the town, the streetlights catching against our skin and clothes as we passed under them and I instantly disliked the orange glow, it made me feel too vulnerable, darkness was my friend.

I had even been fairly uncomfortable being outside during the daylight with Alice though I had kept this feeling deep inside not wanting her to know of my concern for it. It had been different in the South where we couldn't set a foot outside during the daylight hours, there were no such overcast days to keep what we were a secret.

As we followed the outskirts of the town, a breeze passed us and I tensed and stood rigid on the spot instantly as a faint human scent invaded my senses. My throat was ablaze and it took most of my remaining strength to keep my breath held in, refusing myself another smell of the humans, and keep myself rooted instead of bolting away to feed.

I felt Alice's hand grip mine as though it were a feeble attempt to hold me back, but I was determined that it was not yet time. I had to make Alice safe first. I could suffer this a little longer, I would suffer this for an eternity if she asked me to.

'Jasper we don't have to do this we can find another way.'

I kept my breath held in and my teeth clenched, fighting the urge to bite my own lip to allow the venom to stop me like it had done so previously.

'No, I'll be alright, lets just move quickly.'

I continued moving then, almost regretting suggesting the town now with the way my throat was on fire and Alice's renewed concerned feelings for how I would react. Our pace remained slowed though and I kept to the shadows, weaving in and out of alleyways and streets to avoid the lamplights, not liking the light anymore now than I ever had.

'I see Swan Avenue and Hill Street,'

Alice's whisper echoed around my head and the silence of the very early morning. But something about those street names sounded familiar, like I had known of them before, but I was unsure why. I glanced around again, my pale eyes darting in every direction before I stopped walking with Alice stopping at my side.

I nodded more to myself as an idea came to mind and I turned, releasing Alice's hand and jumping up onto the side of the building in front of me, using gaps in its brick work as finger and footholds as I clambered up its side.

I needed a better view of our location, and after a quick glance back to Alice to see that she still stood below watching me, I turned and followed the length of the roof before coming to its end. I crouched down low remaining on my toes as I let my eyes quickly scan the town laid out before me, searching through the mix of shadows and orange light for anything that sounded like what Alice had seen in her vision.

Just a few streets away was a road with warehouses on each side, all with a look as if they were condemned to collapse at any moment with the softest of passing breezes, but it was the street corner that drew my attention now. _Swan Avenue_.

I straightened up then, balancing easily on the tiles dampened by the early morning dew and quickly mentally counted how many streets away was the one Alice had mentioned before turning and following the line of the roof back to my original position.

Alice still stood below as I stepped forward allowing the soles of my shoes to slip across the dewy tiles before dropping off the edge and landing in a crouch at Alice's side, the weariness becoming stronger upon me as Alice wrapped her arm about my waist and helped me to stand.

'Swan Avenue…it's six streets down from here, the whole street is full of warehouses.'

Alice nodded with a smile and I was sure she already knew this, and I smiled also though it was a weary smile, but it still met my eyes.

'Let's go, the sooner we find the right warehouse from my vision, the sooner you can go to feed. You look terrible, Jazz.'

She raised her hand to trail her thumb lightly across the purple bruising under my left eye before dropping her hand to take mine. She picked up her pace continuing quickly up the street now that she knew which direction she needed to go, but my weakened body would not keep up and I only slowed her progress. She noticed this quickly and cast an apologetic glance to me but I shook my head showing there had been no harm, and she slowed her pace to match mine, her hand keeping a hold of my own.

Once onto Swan Avenue, Alice zeroed in on the warehouse that looked the most ruined. I cast my gaze over the crumbling brick work and boarded up windows. It was just as she had described of her vision. Her gift would never cease to amaze me.

One of the doors was open just a crack and I dropped Alice's hand and approached, glancing quickly inside, my eyes instantly adjusting to the dusty darkness within.

'It's empty. This should be fine for now.'

I leaned back a little and pulled at the door, being careful as the wood felt like it would splinter under my touch. I opened it wide enough for both Alice and I to slip inside, then catching Alice's hand again, I led her into the dark.

I released the breath I had been holding for the last several minutes and drew in another. The human scent had long since vanished from here, though I could smell some form of animal, the stench revolted me instantly and I raised my hand, pressing the sleeve of my shirt to cover my nose and mouth.

Alice giggled at my reaction and I met her eyes quickly seeing the amusement there. Her hand shot out to pull my arm back down to my side.

'It's ok, Jasper…they're rats.'

My eyes narrowed a bit. I didn't like the sound of that. I may be more fearsome than a rat but for some reason I really did not like the thought of being anywhere near them. Perhaps something that had followed me from my human life.

'I don't think I like rats.'

Alice giggled again.

'Yes, they're not very good. The blood goes cold too quickly but if you're ever in a tight situation then they will sustain you enough until you can find something better.'

A tremble ran up my spine as I realised what Alice was saying. She had fed from rats before, and the very thought of it made my empty stomach twist uncomfortably causing me to groan, my hand raising to rest there like it had done following the feeding from the bear.

Alice's giggling ceased as she realised my discomfort and she stepped closer to my side, her arms snaking around my waist and her head resting upon my chest.

'I'm sorry, Jasper, I didn't mean to laugh at you, it's just that your reaction was funny. You need to feed now.'

I tensed at her mention of feeding but I knew that she was right. I closed my eyes drawing in another shallow breath.

'You'll think badly of me.'

I felt Alice's movement as she raised her head from my chest to look to me, her hand raised also to cup my cheek forcing me to open my eyes.

'Jasper, why would you think that?'

'You have worked hard to keep me under control, to learn a new way of feeding, and now that will be broken. I fear I will be different once I have fed from humans.'

Alice shook her head and stepped closer pressing her whole self to me and the overwhelming feelings of love flooded into me. I knew that Alice cared greatly for me and my wellbeing, but now I felt the faith she had in me that I would not go back to my old ways. I just wished I had the same faith.

She released me then and leaned back, her hands shooting out to smooth the wrinkles she had caused in my waistcoat from her tight hug and I forced myself not to roll my eyes.

'Feed, Jasper. If you still feel bad about doing so then we shall talk of it when you come back.'

I exhaled quietly and nodded my head once. I needed to find the faith from somewhere, but for now I would just take it a step at a time. I turned, walking back towards the cracked open door, it would be getting light soon and I would need to move fast to hunt, I could already hear distant sounds of humans moving around, waking to another morning, and going about on their early morning work.

Then I felt a change in emotions. Worry, anxiety, sadness, fear. I turned quickly to see Alice stood frozen, still facing my way but her eyes were blank once again, and I pushed my weary body back to her, my left hand taking hers instantly and my other hand coming to rest upon her shoulder.

'Alice?….Alice what is it?'

Alice remained silent for a moment, her fear and anxiety becoming stronger as time passed and my head echoed with the emotions threatening to force me down under its weight again, then it faded as Alice returned from her vision.

'Alice?…'

Alice blinked her eyes back into focus and raised them to meet my own before quickly glancing around then returning to my concerned gaze.

'It was nothing…it was you hunting. I guess I saw it because I'm concerned for you being out there hunting whilst it's getting light, but I saw that you'll be ok. You should go, Jazz, you really need to feed.'

I watched Alice for a short moment longer, not completely sure that she was telling the truth, but I cared enough for her that I would not doubt her words. I closed the gap between us placing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

'I'll try to be quick.'

Alice nodded against my chest and I stepped back then, dropping my hands from her before turning away and leaving the warehouse and Alice behind.


	20. Chapter 20

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 20 - Alice POV **

'Feed, Jasper. If you still feel bad about doing so then we shall talk of it when you come back.'

He looked at me and I could see a trace of anxiety cross his eyes. He nodded and turned away from me, no doubt checking to see if it was safe to leave. It was then my vision clouded and darkened as it usually did when the future revealed itself to me.

'Alice?…'

I faintly heard Jasper's voice from afar and forced myself back to the present. I had seen enough for now, but what I had seen had me even more anxious and worried but I could not reveal my discomfort to Jasper, not now.

'It was nothing…it was you hunting. I guess I saw it because I'm concerned for you being out there hunting whilst it's getting light, but I saw that you'll be ok. You should go, Jazz, you really need to feed.'

He stared into my eyes for a moment, I kept myself calm although the tension was building in my mind. I needed to reassure him everything was okay although it was far from it. He must have been convinced as he stood close and placed a small kiss on my forehead.

'I'll try to be quick.'

All I could do was nod in response as I did not want to speak to heighten his concern any more, then he stepped back, turned and walked away out of the warehouse. I stood very still for a moment taking in a few deep breaths to compose myself.

I hated myself for having to lie to Jasper but it was for his own protection. He desperately needed to feed, and although I wasn't particularly happy about the way he was going to do that either, I knew he was doing what he thought was right, what was best in his mind for the possible situation we could now face.

I would help him later deal with any emotional aftermath this was sure to cause him, and the thought caused a small stab of pain to cross my chest as I imagined the emotions that he would surely feel when he had to take a human life and afterwards when he thought back on it, but for now I needed to focus my mind on the task ahead.

I had seen the stranger approaching in my vision, he was jumping over the roof tops towards a building not far from here from the far side of town. I was not sure how long Jasper would be gone, hopefully not too long, but I would need to act in the meantime to stop the stranger from finding this place at least and lead him somewhere else so that he would not detect Jaspers scent and think that I was alone.

It would be the only way that I could help Jasper and if it came to a fight, give him time, help him gain the advantage with the element of surprise on his side. I was hoping that the stranger was just curious about something, why he was coming now was a complete mystery to me and I did want to avoid getting us into a fight if it was at all possible.

I looked around the room to see if there was anything that I could use. There were a few not many, old dusty cans on a shelf near me, I picked one up and brushed off the dust with my hand so I could see the label, Turpentine, crude but it would have to do.

I unscrewed the cap on the tin and scattered the liquid on the floor around the area where we had been standing. The odour pervaded my nostrils, yes this would cover our scent nicely. I opened two more tins and scattered the contents randomly around the floor area. I dropped the empty tins to the floor, turned and left through the door we had come in through and closed it behind me.

I trailed my hand along the wall of the warehouse as I started to walk down towards the far end of the street. Jasper would pick up on my scent and know which way I had gone.

I quickly shot past a further two buildings, there was no-one in the street to see me move at this pace and I wanted to get back under cover again as soon as possible before any humans wandered this way.

I ducked down the side alley near the third building, I looked up at the sign, 'Krimski's Distillery'.

Quickly scaling the side wall of the tall four storey onto the roof, I looked around and saw to the north east two streets over, the rooftop I had seen the stranger crossing in my vision. Also to my right there was an access door as I suspected, leading down onto the top floor of the distillery. This would have to do as I felt that time was running short.

I crossed the distance between the rooftops in two short bounds and stopped at the edge of the roof I had seen him crossing and placed both my hands flat down on the low wall surrounding its edge. Waiting a moment to ensure that my scent would leave enough of a trace for him to catch and then slowly walked back diagonally across the roof and quickly leapt back exactly the way I had come to Krimski's.

Through the access door was a set of steps leading down onto the top floor which spanned the whole length of the building. Thick wooden pillars were supporting the ceiling at regular intervals, the left hand wall was brick along its whole length, a gap in the floor with a handrail denoting the stairwell down to the floor below.

Windows extended across the short ends of the room both in front and behind me, the right wall again was brick but had two smaller windows to let in more light and the stairway from the roof. Packing boxes were strewn in a haphazard fashion along the far end of the left wall and the floor was covered in a thin layer of dust.

As I breathed, the air was filled with swirling dust particles. No one had been up here in a while, no discernable trace of human scent was in the air either, luckily.

I strode to the first window on the right wall and stood looking out, hope fully I would not have to wait long.

About 10 minutes had passed when I heard the slight creak of the roof access door opening and I looked up and turned towards the stairs.

He came down slowly one step at a time, his feet coming into view first through the slats in the staircase. He was wearing leather boots, and I could see jeans sheathing his wide legs. I stepped back a few paces so I was away from the window. He was far enough down the staircase that my movement must have been in his peripheral vision and as I looked up and he descended the last few steps our eyes met.

A look of surprise and confusion crossed his face, then he smiled, but it was not a pleasant smile more like the face I had seen the first time in my vision, more of a lecherous look. He took a step towards me, I automatically took a step back.

'Alice, is that you?' his voice was deep and husky with a hint of a Spanish accent.

I studied his face, the dark short black hair, the wide shoulders and stocky frame, nothing about him triggered any memory.

'Who are you?' my voice was curt, hostile. 'How do you know me?'

'Well it's been more than 30 years, but you don't know me after all those nights we spent together?'

He extended out both his hands and his voice took on the mock tone of offence at my reply, although the look of amusement was still evident on his face.

'No, I have no idea what you're talking about,' I shook my head and swiftly hid the look of surprise that must have fleetingly crossed my face at his remark, but something deep within my mind was causing me to start to tremble.

It was the same feeling I had from the first vision of him. Something warning me of possible danger perhaps? I clenched my fists tight by my sides to try and stay calm and took in a couple of quick breaths.

'What are you doing here anyway?' My voice had now taken on a small tremor too.

'Well I was hunting in town, have been here for the last few weeks actually, then just now when I came across your scent, I had to come and find out if it was really you.'

I took in another sharp breath as I realised what he'd said. The haziness of my first vision when I could not pinpoint his location and the fear I had felt must have been a warning somehow because the decision we had made to come here had put us right in his path.

'But I don't know you!' I insisted again trying not to take in too many breaths to betray my obvious anxiety.

I was trembling even more now but fighting to control it. He perhaps thought I was lying.

'Oh but you do know me Alice,'

He moved at lightening speed for such a huge man, and before he had finished speaking, he had crossed the room and circled behind me. He was standing so close to my back I could hear him breathing next to my ear.

His scent filled my nostrils, I cringed, he smelt like a full garbage pail that had been left out in the sun too long. His lips were as close to my ear as he could get them without actually touching me. My stomach clenched and protested. If I was physically capable of regurgitating the contents right then, then I would have.

He took in a long breath, 'Hmmmm you smell just as sweet as you did back then,'

I shuddered I could feel him breathing down my neck, my hair was standing on end with the intense effort of holding still when all I wanted to do was turn and tear at his throat.

''Perhaps this may help you remember, it was your favourite,' his voice was low in my ear as he continued, 'When the rose is faded, memory may still dwell on her beauty shadowed, and the sweet smell gone.'

'That vanishing loveliness, that burdening breath, no bond of life hath then, nor grief of death. 'Tis the immortal thought, whose passion still makes the changing, the unchangeable.'

The way he said the words caused another chill to run down my spine. He raised his left hand and brushed the side of my neck with his finger tip. I did not know how much longer I could hold my position, the urge to flee, to fight were warring within me.

'Oh, thus thy beauty, loveliest on earth to me,' he paused again to take in my scent and before I could think on what I was doing the words flowed out of my mouth.

'Dark with no sorrow, shines, and burns, with thee…'

'Aahhh' he said with an air of satisfaction, 'You do remember.'

I was stunned, my mind had conjured up the words from some long distant memory. I could not control the trembling now as I made the connection. The memory of the darkness clouded my vision for a moment, the voice in the darkness whispering, _it was him._

I must have started to fall forwards from the shock, I was not sure, or maybe his intense pleasure at my reaction to him caused him to take his right arm and snake it around my waist and pull me closer to him.

'There were many nights when you couldn't sleep, I could hear you crying, you didn't mind my company so much back then did you?'

His tone lifted at the end, what was he implying? I gasped and closed my eyes for a second to try to block out the intense fear and panic that was now coursing uncontrollably through every limb. I hoped the darkness would once again come to claim me.

His hand tightened around my waist and he was pressing his whole body against my back, his lips touched my neck and I could feel the tip of his tongue reach out and draw itself in a thin line from my ear to the base of my jawline.

My eyes opened slowly and narrowed, I stared straight ahead trying with all my strength now to remain still through all the trembling and all the anger and fear.

He was mis-interpreting my reactions as good ones and it was encouraging him to go further.

The hand on my waist rose up and he touched my breast, he cupped it in his hand and squeezed it slightly.

'Hmmm, still just as sweet,' he whispered and then his hand released, and started to slowly move downwards this time, across my stomach….. and down between my legs.


	21. Chapter 21

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 21 - Jasper POV**

As I left the warehouse, my eyes were instantly drawn to the lightening of the sky overhead. I had thirty minutes maximum before the sun would rise over the buildings of this town and reveal me for what I am. I trembled at the thought, remembering once when I had been a very young newborn how I had feared the sun so much.

Maria had lied to me and the others, telling us that we would burn hotter than the fires of hell if the sunlight ever touched us. It was a terrible thing to tell us, but it had worked, we all stayed indoors from the sun.

I lowered my eyes back to the street as I walked along, feeling so out of place here, but I believed it to be a safer place than the wilderness, with no places to hide and nothing to mask our scents. At least here in the town there were stronger smells to cover our tracks. Rotting garbage, but mostly humans.

I shuddered at the thought of what I had come here to do. I had to feed, my body was weaker now than I had felt it to be for a very long time, but still I had the feelings of not wanting to feed, not wanting to become the monster that I feared the most. No, I feared something far worse than that now. I feared how Alice would react once I have become that monster again. Would she still love me when my eyes were crimson, my thoughts murderous, and my body tense and always ready for a fight once I return to my military ways.

I stopped walking for a short moment, pressing my hand to the wall of a building to support myself. My throat was now ablaze with the need for blood, but it was the fear of the want for blood that had me second thinking my motives.

What if I was going about this the wrong way? We shouldn't have come to this town. If we had remained in the wilderness, I could feed from animals as Alice wished me to and remain running from the unknown threat until I had gained enough strength to face it. This is what we should be doing.

But it's too late now. We're already in the town, already surrounded by humans, and already I could feel the lust for their blood filling me. I have only gone four days without human blood, but already I crave it so much, despite my mind telling me that it is wrong.

I raise my gaze again to the sky as it was becoming increasingly light. I knew I had to move quick, I would just need to take a breath and let the monster within me take over, bite back the shock and pain I would feel from my victims, and in my mind I told myself I needed to do this for Alice.

I pushed myself from the wall, my feet feeling like lead weights as I forced one foot in front of the other to continue down the street. I could hear movement ahead of me, metallic sounds and as I rounded the street corner I saw a man further along the street dragging a street sign out to the front of a shop that was opening for the day.

But it was not the sight of the man that now stopped my feet from moving. It was the sight that lay before me. There was something very familiar about it, I was almost sure I had seen it before. The street was straight for several yards, with shops lining each side, and at the far end the street curved to the left. It seemed familiar to me but I was not sure why.

I forced my feet onwards, straightening my back some more so that my posture did not look so weary, as I continued down the street. I turned my eyes to glance through the window of the nearest shop. The window display showed an assortment of ladies shoes and hats, but it was not these that caught my eye.

I saw my reflection again now, and it differed greatly from when I had seen it in the clear lake. Now my skin was far paler and that caused my eyes to stand out even more. I stepped closer to the glass of the window. My eyes were different, pale and weakened from my need to feed, but they were almost completely black now with only the slightest hint of red…and gold. Gold like Alice's.

I sighed softly and turned from the window to continue down the street. The same man was chaining his street sign to the nearest streetlight to his shop, and as I looked ahead to the sign, I saw that written upon it in chalk was a menu and prices for a butchers shop. The man must be the butcher.

Just my luck that the first human to cross my path would have the stench of animal blood upon him, but I had no time to be picky in my choices of a meal.

The man looked up as I grew closer to his position. I kept my eyes downcast as I gained proximity before stopping in front of his sign as though reading it, though my mind was far from the flesh of animals, instead it was working quickly to decide how I would attack. It would need to be quick, though speed was no longer an asset on my side, and it would need to be soon as I could feel the weakness increasing, and the monster screaming to be set free.

'Beautiful morning, is it not, sir?'

The mans voice snapped me from my thoughts and I wearily raised my head to look to him, keeping my breath held knowing that the second I took a breath the frenzy would begin.

'True enough, sir'

I decided to answer in kind, keeping it polite, we were both 'gentlemen' after all.

'Anything there catch your eye?'

I turned my eyes back to the chalk board as though considering for a moment as though I were a real customer, but inside I was forcing myself to not state the obvious, that it was the butcher himself who had caught my eye, and so instead I read the first thing on the board that had caught my eye.

'Cured back bacon…'

The man instantly smiled as he thought he had himself a customer, and reached an arm out to gesture me towards his shop. The door stood open and through the window I could see several cuts of meat, including a whole pig, hanging from hooks. The sight of the animals caused my stomach to twist violently, but this soon eased when I promised myself that I would only be in that shop for a second, and then my thirst would be satiated.

I stepped forward to the butcher's gesture and entered his shop. My ears caught the sound of movement from above and I saw at the back of the shop was a staircase, most likely this man lived directly above, possibly with a wife and children, but I forced this thought aside, if I lingered on it too much then I would find excuses not to feed.

The butcher rubbed his hands together and moved to walk past me and I allowed myself the breath I had been denying myself since leaving the warehouse. The burn was instant, scalding my throat and causing me to flinch, but it was starting now, I could feel the old part of me beginning to rise, completely overtaking the side of me that Alice had created.

My arm shot out so quickly, snatching the butcher around the middle and pulling him back to me. The panic was instant from this man and the fears quickly began in me. I raised a hand to the mans head, flicking my wrist quickly, the crunch of bone was loud to my ears as the mans neck snapped and lolled sideways to his shoulder.

My eyes scanned quickly around the shop and out to the street, but it was still too early in the day with no one else around, and with speed, I bit into the dead butcher's throat. The second the blood touched my throat, the frenzy began, too strong for me to hold back even for a moment, and I drank so fast as though my life depended on it. But it wasn't true…not my life at least. I didn't care enough for that. It's Alice's life that depended on it.

The butcher had been a large man, but it seemed that after only a minute, his body was empty of blood, and I dropped him unceremoniously to the tiled floor, so unlike how I had treated the body of my victim back in Philadelphia.

I glanced down to the butcher whilst flicking my tongue out to catch the last drop of his blood that had gathered at the corner of my mouth, and instantly the monster in me yelled for more. I would need another before I felt full, felt strong enough again to protect Alice.

I walked from the shop, leaving the body where I had dropped it. I could already feel my strength returning. The wonders of human blood. I continued down the street and took the turn left at the end, my hands clenching and unclenching at my sides as I picked up my pace a little more, testing my new found strength. It had only been four days, but it felt like I had been deprived for a month.

The new street was similar to the last with shops on one side and alleyways on the other. I stopped for a moment. Now it was looking very familiar as though I knew where it was I was going. I let my eyes scan down the left side of the street, but all the shops here were still locked up.

I inhaled. All around me was the scent of humans, but the lust for more blood did not win over this time. It was something else. Something I had caught the scent of, and I moved my feet onwards again until the scent became stronger, leading me to one of the alleyways on the right.

I stopped where the scent was strongest and peered into the alleyway. At first I thought it to be a pile of rags that I saw, but as my eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness of the alley, I realised it to be another body. The drained body of a street sleeper, and the scent I had followed was that of my kind, a vampire.

I instantly tensed at the sight of the body. There was another like me in this town, and also like me, that other had fed recently, perhaps still was feeding somewhere nearby. I would need to be sure before I continued to feed. I stepped further into the alleyway towards the corpse following the vampire scent to the wall at the rear of the alley. The scent went upwards and so must I.

With my new found strength from the human blood, I scaled the wall in less than a second to crouch at the top, my eyes quickly scanning all around and again I inhaled. The vampire scent was still in the air but fading, whoever it had been had moved on from this part of town.

I turned slowly glancing back down to the body of the street sleeper, then raised my eyes to look back at the streets I had walked down. I could still hear the faint movement above the butcher's shop. The body had not yet been discovered though I knew it would not be long. But as I gazed back along those streets it suddenly occurred to me why I had recognized these places.

It looked different now in the daylight, but I remembered now that I had been here before. This was a town I had passed through and fed in earlier in the year as I wandered the country searching for my phantom, that had turned out to be Alice.

I closed my eyes a moment and turned my back to the scene, opening my eyes to look down at my hands where they rested atop the brickwork of the alley wall where I remained crouching. My eyes followed the paths of scars along the back of my hands before landing on the newest to the collection, the one I had caused myself when I had nearly destroyed Alice.

I raised my right hand to gently tug at the sleeve of the green shirt to see the wound better. It still stung a little at my touch but it was healing better now that I had human blood in my body once again. I sighed softly and dropped the sleeve back into place, tracing my fingertips over the tear in the fabric where I had bitten through to my wrist.

Alice had been unhappy that I had damaged such a fine shirt, but I wondered how much damage I would do to Alice's heart when I returned to her as the monster that I had once been, that she had not yet seen in me, only heard about.

A slight morning breeze passed me and I inhaled, the want for more human blood causing me to do so instinctively in order to find my next prey, but the vampire scent caught my senses again and I raised my head looking in the direction that the scent led.

I scanned my eyes to the distance seeing the street of warehouses where Alice would be waiting for me to return. I was not yet strong enough, I had not fed enough, but I also feared to leave Alice alone for long. But mostly I feared returning to her unrecognisable in my blood filled state.

I lowered my gaze to the bricks below me again before straightening up, able to balance with ease like a cat on a narrow fence. I walked along the top of the wall before dropping down onto the roof of a shop. The vampire scent was here too. I was following the route that the vampire had taken after his or hers feeding, but it was heading in the direction I was going, so it wouldn't hurt to find the vampire and see if they were a threat.

As I continued heading east back towards the warehouses, jumping from roof to roof as I went, the scent became stronger to my senses, then up ahead I saw a slight movement from my peripheral vision. I crouched instantly low to the roof I stood on, raising my eyes to watch the shadowy movements of the vampire several rooftops away.

His back to me, I had not been spotted. He seemed to be following a scent of his own, another victim perhaps, for as another breeze passed my face, I inhaled again, and the scent of the vampire was strong, the same vampire I had caught the scent of further back.

I watched as he disappeared through an access door on the roof of a warehouse, the door remaining open, swinging lightly in the breeze, and as I stood to turn north to return to where I had left Alice, that was when another scent travelled to me on the breeze. I turned my eyes quickly back to the swinging door, the scent being blown towards me. It was Alice.

My whole body tensed as I stood rooted to the spot for a moment. I must be mistaken. Alice was still in the warehouse a few more streets away from here, but I had to be sure and I pushed my feet onwards, leaping the gaps between the rooftops with ease.

It took just a minute to reach the swinging door and I stopped its movement with one hand. Alice's scent was upon the door as well as the other vampire's scent, and I turned my gaze now to look down the metal steps leading down into the warehouse.

Shadows moved across the floor cast by the light from the rising sun as it passed over the rooftops of the town, but I remained in shadow cast by the open door. Below I could hear a voice, a deep male voice that had to belong to the vampire I had seen, but it was the anger and fear that I was feeling from below that confirmed my worst fear. Alice was down there too.

I felt Alice's anger and fear begin to increase, it pained my head as though a great pressure was bearing down on me, but it was the excited and lusting feelings of the other vampire that hurt more, to know that Alice was down there with him now only increased the tension in my body further as my foot moved forward onto the top step of the stairs allowing the door to shut silently behind me.

Alice's fear increased again and I clenched my eyes closed to try and get myself under control but it was no use. I could already feel myself being pushed aside by the man I had once been, Maria's Major, and all the knowledge that I had once been tasked in passing onto others now returned to me as I took another silent step down the stairs.

There was a movement of shadow from below and I watched it for just a second before glancing upwards. There were wooden beams crossing the line of the roof with enough room to crouch upon, but my attention was drawn to the fact that the light from the windows had not yet lit this area.

I sprang up catching a hold of the underside of the beam and quickly swung up to crouch on its top side in the dark before moving slowly and silently further across the wooden beam almost to the highest point in the centre of the room, getting myself into position before glancing down to see the situation.

Alice was stood rigid just below my position, and the vampire stood right behind her, his hands around her waist, and I watched on in disgust as he raised the hand to cup and squeeze her breast. I felt the anger rise in me instantly, wanting to attack, to destroy, becoming the killer I had once been, but I was frozen by the vampires words as his rough voice spoke.

'Hmmm, still just as sweet as you were back then.'

I shifted my position. I wouldn't allow this to happen. Not to my Alice. The vampire lowered his hand again then, tracing a line down Alice's front before it came to rest between her legs. I felt a growl building up within me but forced it back, not wanting to betray my position. Alice's fear was hitting me full force now, mixed with the lust from the other that held her and I could hold myself back any longer.

I shot a quick pulse of my fury into Alice. I didn't want to harm her by doing so, but I was far from collected myself to send calm to her. I just wanted her to know I was here, I was coming, and she had to move so I would not harm her.

As I jumped from my position, I saw Alice tense from the fury she had felt from me, and she must have understood. She quickly wrenched herself forward from her attacker with just a second to spare before I collided into him sending us both across the dusty floor.

He growled with annoyance and got back to his feet as I rolled up to mine, remaining in a defensive crouch between him and Alice who had backed to the far wall. He eyed me up as he brushed dust from his leather jacket, his crimson eyes reaching mine before he smiled.

'So you have a newborn protecting you, my dear….it's almost a shame to have to destroy him, so handsome and all.'

He stepped forward and I tensed even more, my fingers clawing slightly, just waiting, willing him to attack already and not play games with me. It had been so long since I'd had a worthy opponent and he definitely seemed that. His eyes bore into mine as he approached me before his eyes turned to look to Alice.

'You can call your little attack dog off if you want him to survive. We can keep him as a slave if you wish.'

I watched as he walked ever closer, now only a few feet from me and he wasn't even ready for this. He assumed me to be a newborn, inexperienced, but I would bet my last dollar that my age and experience was far beyond his.

He stopped walking then, standing before me as I remained defensive, and Alice remained fearful against the wall behind me, and he just shrugged.

'Ok, have it your way then.'

He took a quick step towards me and I snarled viciously. This was what I had been waiting for, what I had been promising myself ever since Alice had her first vision of this vampire. I moved faster and was behind him in less than a second. My arm hooked around his chest, lifting him slightly from the ground before I threw him across the warehouse, sending dusty boxes falling down around him.

I cast a quick glance to Alice to be sure she was well out of harms way, then back to the other, he had already gained his feet and was growling angrily now. He dropped his stance just a little before charging at me.

I planted my feet and prepared for the collision. When he slammed full force into me, my feet remained rooted to the ground as his strength pushed us both backwards several feet. I ducked under his arm then, using his own propulsion to throw him over my shoulder into the brick wall that he had been aiming me towards, but he was back up again instantly having realised now that I was no simple newborn, I had training and experience on my side, and I felt the slight fear pass through his mind before it was replaced with fury to match my own.

He returned with speed to charge at me and I turned to meet him. He slammed into me again, and forced me backwards but I knew how his mind would work, he would expect me to use the same move again and so his mind would work quickly to avoid that happening, but with experience on my side I was quicker still.

I dropped to the ground and his propulsion sent him tripping over me as I rolled back to my feet returning to my defensive stance, and as he hit the floor I threw myself forward landing onto him, sinking my teeth hard into the side of his neck, to bite through and rip his head off.

He cried out with the pain of my venom as it entered through the wound, but he moved suddenly, taking me by surprise and throwing me off of him into the far wall. I felt myself slam into the ground and he was there again. He was certainly faster than me, but not as experienced…or so I thought.

I could already feel my body beginning to slacken in speed and strength. I had not fed near enough as I should have, the one human had not satisfied the intense thirst I had felt, and now it was absorbing through my body too quickly.

His strong hands grabbed me and lifted me up, slamming me front ways into the wall and I felt my ribs protest and crack causing me to draw in a quick breath from instinct. I tried to use my strength, to push myself away from the wall into him to give me leverage to throw him, but he was too strong and he only pinned me tighter.

I felt the sharp pain, unable to stop myself crying out as his teeth sank deep into my upper right arm part way between my elbow and shoulder. He dug in deeper and his top jaw met with the bottom. I pulled from him and his teeth tore through towards my chest, severing my arm part way off leaving it useless at my side.

I felt the fear from Alice intensify before she screamed.

'Nooo!'

The vampire had the upper hand now and he pulled me away from the wall turning me to face Alice as he walked me towards her, stopping in the middle of the room and forcing me painfully hard to my knees as Alice began to sob.

He released me for just a moment before one arm curved around my damaged ribs and the other around my neck. I kept my eyes downcast as my breathing came in sharp painful spasms from the cracks in my ribs, but the vampire had other ideas and wrenched my head upwards forcing me to look at Alice.

My crimson eyes met hers for a moment, I could see the whites of her eyes were turning red as she continued to sob, then she dropped her head into her hands half turning away, not wanting to watch.

I felt the grip tighten around my neck as the vampire readied to pull, but there was once thing he hadn't taken into consideration. That my right arm that he had tried to sever, was not my strongest arm.

I reached round suddenly catching his arm that had gripped around my chest and pulled forward hard, the movement causing him to trip forwards over me, and I was on him in less than a second, I wouldn't make the same mistake again as I ripped into the opposite side of his neck from before, my left hand gripping in his hair as he screamed in pain again from my venom and I flicked my wrist, twisting with a pull, his head came away from his body.

I stood wearily to my feet, glancing to the head in my hand before dropping it to the ground next to the body. My chest was still heaving with the pain of my injuries, and now and again a growl left my throat as I glared down at the remains of the vampire that had caused Alice so much fear and emotional pain.

I raised my eyes to look to Alice where she had sunk to the ground against the wall still covering her face with her hands and rocking very slightly as she sobbed. I stepped over the body and slowly approached but Alice only tensed more as she heard my footsteps approaching.

I stopped, not wanting her to fear me, I thought she feared me for what she had witnessed me having to become, knowing that I had had to take human blood to become strong enough to fight for her, and seeing the viciousness of me once I was in the mindset of what I had once been, the fighter, the killer, and I lowered my gaze to the dusty floor, dropping my left hand to my lower back.

'I'm sorry, Alice…'


	22. Chapter 22

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves**

**Chapter 22 - Alice POV**

As I stood and watched with horror, the vampire bit down on Jasper's arm and as he turned away, there was a sickening ripping sound that tore through my head. Jasper's cry of pain swiftly followed and the wave of it hit me. The feeling of fear that was already present for what had seemed like the longest time grew stronger and my cry of pain mirrored Jasper's own.

'Nooo!'

As the vampire pulled Jasper around and pushed him towards me and then forced him down onto his knees in front of me the agony was too much to bear. I was going to lose him for good this time, my eyes stung and the dry sobs racked me to the core.

Jasper was not looking at me but I could clearly see and feel his pain as my own as the vampire curled his arm around Jasper's chest and with his other took hold of his neck and forced him to look into my eyes.

His eyes caught mine, so red so crimson but I didn't care, I just felt so helpless in that moment locked in his gaze.

I couldn't watch any more and covered my face with my hands and turned away, I didn't want to see him die in front of me. I staggered a few steps backwards as the thought filled my mind, it would be over soon, and then the darkness I so eagerly sought could come and take me too, and I would gladly go.

I slumped against the wall and slowly slide down to the floor, all strength gone from me, the empty feeling I had had once before when I thought I had lost him was rapidly filling up inside, and was once again crushing my chest.

I heard a thud and then a scream and I knew it was over, but I still did not want to look to see the finality that I was so afraid of. The voice inside my head was screaming No, No, No so loudly it drowned out anything else.

Then I heard footsteps approaching and I just wanted everything to end. I heard a voice speaking to me, but the words didn't even register and I pushed myself further against the cold brickwork of the wall.

'Just kill me now!' I shrieked from behind my hands which were still covering my face.

'You disgust me, you won't EVER put your hands on me again!'

I waited, the racking pain was still coursing through me but now the fear was beginning to ebb, as a deep sadness started to replace it. The silence was only broken by my muffled gasping breaths. I slowly removed my hands from my face, why was he waiting?

I turned to see. I blinked twice to clear my eyes of the venom which was obscuring my vision, and then I saw his face, not the face I was expecting or dreading but the face I wanted to see, the blonde hair caught my attention first then I shifted my gaze to look into his eyes, a pained expression on his face.

I was instantly moving, springing up and forward as I flung myself at him, both arms shot out and around his neck tightly.

I heard him take a short sharp breath as I hit his chest, I took in a deep breath too and immediately the familiar scent filled my senses. I quickly pulled back so I could see his face and I crushed my lips to his for just a second, then I kissed the tip of his nose, then his right cheek then his forehead, then his left cheek and finally back to his lips.

The relief began to hit me. He was okay, he was alive. I released his neck and placed both my hands on his cheeks and then reluctantly disconnected my lips from his and moved back so I could see into his eyes again.

'Oh, I thought, I thought he….' Jasper tried to smile back at me but it was more like a grimace. I suddenly remembered his arm, he must be in a lot of pain. Sense started to take over and I immediately dropped my hands and took a step back.

'Come over here I need to see your arm,' I took his left hand in mine and turned to walk towards the stairs.

'Alice….,' Jaspers voice was barely a whisper behind me, I quickly turned back to see him trying to take a step forward but his face was masked in so much pain and his breathing was coming in short sharp rasping sounds.

I quickly twisted his hand in mine to put his hand over my shoulder so I could try and support some of his weight, I didn't want to put my right hand around him as I suspected his chest was damaged after the impact with the wall and I had also caused him more pain by grabbing him so roughly in my excitement, so I grabbed the waist band of his trousers in my right hand to at least hold on to him.

'Just over here so I can sit you down okay?'

We shuffled forward and I could see Jasper wincing with every step. But we made it to the stairs and I tried to support him as he slowly lowered himself down onto the nearest one.

'Alice, I'm sorry,' Jasper looked up at me as I was standing over him. I reached down and took the hem of my dress in my hands and tore a long strip from the bottom of the skirt.

'Sorry for what?' I asked as I couched down in front of him.

His eyes were on my face I could feel it, but I looked down and gently wrapped my fingers around the wrist of his injured right arm which was hanging at his side.

I'm going to have to move this across your chest so it can heal okay?' I wrapped the strip of fabric twice around his wrist and slowly started to move his arm to bring it across his chest. He gritted his teeth and took in a sharp breath which sounded more like a hiss.

I parted the two ends of the fabric and wrapped them around his neck and knotted them together to make a crude sling to hold his arm in place and to bring the two shredded ends of flesh together so they could start to regenerate.

I stood up straight and stepped up to the next step and sat down behind Jasper, I placed my hand around his face onto his forehead.

'Lean back,'. He did so until his back was against my chest. I moved my hand down to rest on his cheek.

'Now, sorry for what?' I asked again now that he could stay still for a while. I could still feel the wave of pain that was coming from him, so maybe I could distract him somehow with talking.

'Sorry that I've become the monster….. the thing you've tried so hard to get me away from.' He shifted slightly and I heard him take another sharp intake of breath.

I leant my head forward so my cheek rested near his ear. 'You did what you had to do to save ME, and was very nearly, nearly…..and you think you're the monster! I was the one who lead us straight to him. The first vision, if I had not been so scared I would have seen that he would be here, I could have lead us away from him. Instead it led us straight to him and now you're the one suffering. It should be me.'

I felt like the pain in my chest was returning as I replayed in my mind those last moments before I had turned away. I took in a large breath, I had to remain calm, Jasper would feel my anxiety and he had enough to deal with just healing and his own remorse without me adding to it.

'So you're not afraid of me?'

'Why would you think that?' My brow furrowed. 'I was more afraid of him than I ever was of you.' I shuddered at the thought of the other vampire being so close to me.

'Yes I felt that,' Jasper sighed as he no doubt felt the sudden stab of anguish that I had had just then.

'Did he say who he was or what he wanted, although I think I could see exactly what he wanted.' Jaspers tone had turned angry now, and I knew he was seeing the moment he had arrived and the sight that had met his eyes.

'He knew me when I was human,' I sighed and the sound had a faint tremble, 'I didn't recognise him at all, but I must have known him, the memory of something he said triggered the connection, he was the voice I could hear in the darkness.'

My breath was ragged now, I didn't want to hurt Jasper with the truth but I couldn't lie either, he had always told me the truth regardless of how horrible it was and I would not deny him the same now. I had already lied to him once and it had nearly killed him, I started to physically tremble again at the thought.

'My mind must have blocked him out for a reason….and I think what you saw him doing to me might have been why, I'm not sure, I don't remember that, only the fear.' My voice had nearly faded out towards the end, I let my head drop down to rest on Jaspers shoulder as my breaths came rapidly now. I pressed my face down into his shirt and squeezed my eyes shut.

'I'm so sorry Jazz, I didn't want it from him, I don't think I ever did, I want you, I love YOU.' I tried desperately to not let the feelings of anger, frustration and fear overwhelm me again, I was too close to Jasper. I concentrated on trying to return to some kind of calm for a moment before he spoke.

'I know you love me,' he whispered. I lifted my face and placed my lips to his neck, I wanted more than ever now for the warm feeling I always had for him to return, to prove my words to him. I took a deep breath and his scent had the effect I wanted, I had hoped it would.

I stayed silent for a few moments listening to his breathing beside me, it was easing somewhat from the previous rasping . He didn't speak either.

I stroked his cheek with the back of my hand. 'How's the pain now?'

'A little better,'

I pulled my face back from him and looked over his shoulder at the hand across his chest, 'Can you move your fingers yet?' He held his breath as he concentrated, I saw his little finger move infinitesimally. He exhaled heavily with the effort.

'It's okay, it will come back soon, rest now, close your eyes you need to relax.' He opened his mouth to protest. 'Sssssshhhhh, don't say anything.'

With a sigh, he did as I asked, I started to hum softly, no tune in particular, just melodies from music I had heard over the years, as I gently stroked my fingers across his cheek.

I let my mind drift too, back to the moment when we were in the forest, when we had made love. The warm feeling now filled me again and I knew Jasper would feel it too. I hoped it would be the vital distraction he needed to soothe the remainder of his pain.

After about an hour had passed, he opened his eyes again. His breathing had been normal for about ten minutes, I was listening as I had continued to hum. His brow furrowed slightly as he again tried to move his hand.

This time all his fingers slightly curled inwards. He flexed them outwards again and they straightened. He curled them again, this time they curled even further towards his palm. I watched as he continued to open and close his fingers.

'That's good, is it still painful?'

'Feels much better.'

He continued to flex his fingers for a moment longer until he must have felt that they were fully functional again, then he lifted himself off my chest to sit up straight. I stood up and stepped down so that I was in front of him. I reached back around his neck and untied the fabric still holding it tight at first, then slowly releasing it through my hands to allow his arm to lower and then removed it completely and tossed it on the floor.

He slowly flexed his lower arm carefully backwards and forwards a few times, a slight grimace on his face the first few movements, but then his expression returned to normal and he moved his arm a little faster and it looked like it was nearly healed.

He stood up and turned his shoulders slowly side to side flexing his waist and chest. I smiled and he smiled back. He raised his left hand and placed it on my neck, his thumb on my cheek, then he leaned towards me and placed a soft kiss on my lips then drew back.

'You sing beautifully.'

'Thanks, and you owe me a new dress,' I glanced down at where the skirt was now tattered.

He laughed. 'Yes ma'am'.

Jasper turned his gaze to look across the warehouse to where I knew the remains of the other vampire still lay. I didn't look. I didn't want to see the face, or any part for that matter, of the one who had treated me horribly.

Jasper moved towards the remains and I reached for his hand to stop him, but my hand caught only air, and I couldn't bring myself to look to see what he was up to. I kept my eyes towards the staircase, just listening to Jasper's movement.

There was a slight rustling sound, as though he were searching through the dusty boxes that had lined the wall but had fallen everywhere during the fight. Then there was a clicking sound, and as quickly as Jasper had left my side, he returned.

He took my hand and lead the way back up the stairs onto the roof. He stood for a second thinking.

'Yes there should be a department store somewhere in this direction,' he pointed west.

'Did you see it while you were out hunting?' I asked curious as to how he knew.

'No,' he scowled slightly, 'I've passed through here before, a while back, before I met you.'

'Oh, okay, well then lets go.'

We took off across the roof tops, Jasper leading the way, we moved swiftly and I hoped because the buildings were reasonably close together that no one below was able to spot us moving overhead from the street. We reached a large building roof about two miles away from the distillery which was easily three times as long as any of the others in the vicinity. We walked across the roof to the access door which appeared to be made of metal.

Jasper dropped my hand and turned the door handle, it appeared locked so he put his ear against it while he tapped on it to ascertain how thick it was, then he squared his feet and rammed his shoulder into it. I heard the metal groan and protest, then give way as the door lock broke and it slightly opened.

'After you ma'am,' he smiled and gestured that I should enter with a sweep of his hand as he held it fully open for me.

He stayed close behind me his hand on my back as I slowly walked down the steps, I looked all around as we descended. It was a large storeroom by the looks of it. Boxes of all shapes and sizes were stacked up in neat rows, on the right hand side of the room, but I could see against the far wall that there were metal racks, so I made my way through the rows of boxes. Jasper was still half a step behind me.

I smiled as I reached the racks, and parted the contents with my hand to see. They were garments bags, so I unzipped the one my hand was touching, it was a fur coat. I wrinkled my nose, not only at the sight of the animal fur, but because a faint human scent was emanating from the bag as well.

This coat had been worn at least once so I guessed the owner must have returned it to the store for some reason. I heard Jasper take in a sharp breath behind me as no doubt he had detected the scent more than me and I turned to look at him.

He held his breath for a moment, then exhaled. I could feel a distinct air of anxiety coming from him,

and I knew that he was feeling uncomfortable with this.

So I said off-handily, 'Why don't you go and check around, see if there are any more rooms with men's clothing and you can change your shirt while I play dress up in here?'

He smiled and I took a step back towards him again, 'Don't be long.' I planted a small kiss to his lips, then drew back and said as I wagged my finger at him, 'And no peeking! I want it to be a surprise!'

'Yes ma'am,' a broad smile crossed his face and he stepped back and bowed and I was laughing as I turned my attention back to the rack as I heard him walk away from me.


	23. Chapter 23

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves **

**Chapter 23 - Jasper POV**

'You sing beautifully'

I had been taken by surprise how easily I had slipped into a state of comfort to the sound of Alice humming softly with her head resting gently on my shoulder, her lips just an inch or so from my ear. I had felt at ease, at a true ease, for the first time I can ever remember.

I had closed my eyes as she had requested me to do, and as she had began to hum, my mind had drifted away to days gone past. Places I had wandered through in my long search for her. I saw brilliant green forests, damp and dark cities, humans…though I tried to stay clear of this thought for Alice's sake, I could already feel the thirst beginning again, the healing was taking my strength.

'Thanks, and you owe me a new dress,'

My eyes lowered to check the hem of her yellow dress. It was torn right along the bottom seam. Strands of frayed cotton stuck out in all directions, and a twinge of guilt stirred within me. She had torn her lovely dress on my account, to help in elevating my arm so that I could heal. I raised my eyes back to Alice's face. Her head was still lowered as she too examined the torn fabric of her dress.

Her bottom lip had pouted a little and despite having felt guilty just a short moment before, I couldn't stop the short laugh that escaped me now at the mere sight of Alice pouting over a dress, but the second that laugh had left my throat, I felt guilty again, and knew she was correct.

'Yes ma'am.'

I smiled as Alice raised her eyes to meet mine, but I dropped my gaze quickly, self conscious about my eyes to keep eye contact with her. Instead I turned my gaze across the warehouse, where the remains of Alice's attacker still lay where I had dropped him. The fingers of his hands twitched slightly and I knew his regeneration was beginning. If left alone, he would be complete again before nightfall, I had to finish this, so that he would not return.

I stepped away from Alice, skirting around the remains so as not to get too close, and moved to the dusty boxes against the wall. I began to dig through the boxes in a hope to find something that could be used to set the remains alight.

I had learned long ago from Maria that the only way to be truly certain that our enemies would not return, was to burn the remains, but to be careful, as fire had the same result even to those vampires who were not torn to pieces. Thinking back on that for a short moment as I searched box after box, I made a small agreement in my own mind. Maria may have been sadistic in many ways, may have been a torturer, murderer, and destroyer of everything that I had once been…but she had also been a teacher, and I would have been destroyed in battle many decades ago if not for her teachings.

I opened what must have been the eighth box to find exactly what I had been searching for. I picked up the small, cold piece of metal and shook it lightly, listening to the movement of fuel within the lighter. I flipped open the lid. The wick was beginning to moisten from the shaking, and after a few clicks, the fuel soaked wick lit up with a deep blue flame at first, which then lessened in it's strength, turning to a flickering yellow and orange.

I glanced down to the boxes, picking out two more lighters and slipping them into my trouser pocket as a precaution for the future, then turned my back to look to the remains again. His fingers still twitched a little, but they wouldn't for much longer. I stepped just a little closer and dropped the lighter onto the vampires body. The fire was instant as the flames wrapped quickly around him, covering him completely as the venom acted as a fuel for the fire.

I watched for only a second more before crossing the warehouse again to return to Alice's side. I dropped my left hand down to take her hand, my right was still healing a little though it was almost there. I led Alice back up the metal staircase leading to the roof and cautiously opened the door a little, enough to peer outside. The sun was no longer out, it seemed to have gone overcast though I could see the blue of the sky in the distance.

I pushed open the door completely and stepped out onto the roof with Alice close behind me. I cast my eyes upwards for a fleeting moment to see that a large cloud was passing across the sky, obscuring the sun for now though we wouldn't have much time.

I turned slightly, keeping a hold of Alice's hand, and gazed around trying to collect my bearings. I had passed through this town once before, but it had been dark, and other than feeding and staying long enough to know that whatever I had been searching for had not been here, I had not really noticed anything else of the town…except for one thing.

'Yes there should be a department store somewhere in this direction,'

I pointed roughly in a western direction. I was sure that it was there somewhere, I just wasn't completely sure on it's exact location. I turned my eyes South West, back towards where I had been just a few hours before. My eyes found the little butchers shop easily, and parked outside was a black car that I had seen the likes of a few times before. A car to carry away the dead.

I turned from the sight as Alice enquired if I had seen the department store whilst hunting earlier today, as if she knew where my thoughts had been just a second earlier, and I scowled as I replied though it was not Alice that caused this reaction, it was myself, and the thought of what I had done to the butcher.

'No. I've passed through here before, a while back, before I met you.'

'Oh, okay, well then lets go.'

I turned westwards again, gripping Alice's hand that tiny bit tighter, and led the way across the rooftops towards where I vaguely remembered the department store to be. I had closed my eyes for just a couple of seconds to try and remember with more detail, and now I could picture clearly what I remembered from that night.

I had fed here as I had passed through, and when I moved from the alleyway where I had been, I slipped in easily with the fast moving crowds as they wandered the streets from store to store. I could remember green, red and gold lights, and the strong smell of pine.

It had been snowing on and off for a few days and that night was no different. The snow had surprised me at first as I had never seen such a thing. It had never snowed in the South. I had been wary at first, but when I was sure it would cause me no harm, and that the humans didn't seem hindered by it either, I had continued walking.

I had crossed the street, trying to blend in more with the crowd, when I stopped outside of the department store. I was not the only one stood here. The colours from within the window had drawn the eyes of children, who stood with their hands pressed to the glass and their eyes wide, I could feel their excitement, and their parent's annoyance, though I was not sure why.

I opened my eyes in time to jump another gap between rooftops. My eyes searched ahead of me as the familiar street ahead stood out, and I slowed down as we jumped the last gap. I inhaled a little, my throat burning at the faint human scent in the air though I could detect no humans near, but the scents that I could detect alerted me to the fact that we were now stood upon the roof of the department store.

We crossed the roof to the access door and I dropped Alice's hand, raising my left hand again to try the handle but it was locked. Of course it would be locked otherwise anyone could get in during the night. But a metal door was no hindrance to our kind.

I stepped forward, pressing an ear to the cool metal and raising my hand to rap gently upon the door. The metal was not too thick, two to three inches maybe, and I lowered my hand to just above the handle, rapping again to discover that the lock wasn't going to be a problem either.

I leaned back a little, eyeing the door as if it were an enemy, before slamming my shoulder hard into it. The metal door groaned a little under the pressure for just a second before the lock gave way, clattering to the floor on the other side of the door. I pushed the door further open and turned my gaze back to Alice with a small smile.

'After you, ma'am.'

I gestured her to enter as I held the door open for her. She smiled and stepped into the darkness within and I followed, staying close and dropping my hand to rest lightly on her back as we descended the metal staircase to the first large room.

My eyes scanned around. It was eerily similar to the warehouse where we had just been, except here it was cleaner, better maintained, and the boxes that lined every wall were not dusty, they looked brand new.

Alice walked forwards towards a line of metal racks on the far wall and I followed close behind, my hand dropping from her back now to have both rest in the dip of my back, my eyes scanning the room again and again as I remained on edge still from the previous fight.

I watched as Alice reached out to the rack, sliding the bags across a little before deciding on one. Her hand moved quickly to unzip the bag, eager to see the contents within, but the scent hit me quickly and I held my breath, tensing and turning my eyes to the item that Alice had uncovered.

It was an animal fur of some sorts, but it was the trace of human scent that it held that had caused me to react, and I saw that even Alice had wrinkled her nose at it, though I couldn't be sure that it wasn't just the item of clothing itself not being to her favour.

Alice turned to look to me, her eyes seeking me out, and I slowly exhaled before closing my lungs again not allowing another breath in, not wanting to be drawn to the human scents, not with Alice around, and that was when the anxiety began. I could feel my throat scorching with the thirst.

The healing had taken up some of my strength and I knew it would not be long before I would need to feed again, I had not fed enough before the fight, but I was mostly afraid how Alice would react. How was I to voice to her that I needed to feed? I couldn't, and so I would suffer for her happiness.

'Why don't you go and check around, see if there are any more rooms with men's clothing and you can change your shirt while I play dress up in here?'

I was a little confused, and dropped my gaze to my shirt only now to realise that during the fight my shirt had been torn across my upper right arm between my elbow and shoulder where the attacker had bitten me with an attempt to tear off my arm.

I smiled a little at Alice's perceptiveness, though it struck me how she was the most perceptive when it came to clothing. I raised my eyes back from my shirt to look to Alice as she stepped towards me with a smile of her own.

'Don't be long. And no peeking! I want it to be a surprise!'

She kissed me gently before shaking her finger at me in a playful scolding sort of way that made me smile more and become playful myself. It was so easy to relax around Alice.

'Yes, ma'am'.

I stepped back from her and bowed like a good soldier should, like I was raised to respect ladies. Alice laughed at my playfulness and turned back to the metal racks to continue looking through the items of clothing, and I turned away exiting through the wooden door nearby.

I felt happier, lighter, almost carefree now as I descended another flight of steps to the level below. There was a door on either side of me and one ahead. The one ahead no doubt led to another flight of steps down to the main part of the shop, and upon turning my eyes to the right I could see that that door was the main office, it was labelled as such by black lettering upon the wood. I turned left and cautiously tested the door. It opened easily and silently and after peering in to see more boxes in here, I slipped in to check.

I was not as careful as Alice when it came to clothing. And I certainly would never have stolen from old houses and department stores like I had with Alice. For myself, I would have taken anything I needed from my victims. That would have to change now with Alice…animals don't wear clothes.

I had been part way across the room towards the boxes when I heard a faint metallic sound from below. It sounded to be at least two more floors down in the building, but it was there all the same. I stood rigid as I listened, honing in my strong sense of hearing to listen to the footsteps as they walked around below. There was a human in the store, most likely getting everything ready for the opening time, which couldn't be too far off now.

My throat scorched at the mere thought of the human and I half turned, beckoned by the promised feed below. But the thought of Alice a floor above playing dress up with whatever clothing she could find held me in my place. She would be so disappointed in me if I did feed.

The danger for now was over and that had been the only reason she had allowed me to feed from humans. No doubt now her every intention was to return me to feeding from animals the second that we left this town for the wilderness again. The mere thought of animal blood twisted my stomach uncomfortably and the blood below beckoned to me more strongly, but I gritted my teeth and held my breath again, turning away to begin looking through the boxes. I could take this pain and discomfort for Alice's happiness.

I searched through several boxes. The first contained smaller boxes holding various different shoes, but the shoes Alice had picked out from the farm house were barely worn and most comfortable enough already. The second box contained folded trousers, but these I was not in need of either.

I sighed softly to myself and glanced around the room, spotting the similar metallic racks holding bags like in the room above. I crossed the room in a few short steps and un-zipped the first bag. It contained a brand new suit jacket, black with deep blue velvet lining. I tilted my head a little, admiring the fine detail of the jacket that my eyes could see clearly. I removed it from its bag and tried it on. The sleeves were the perfect length though it was a little loose around the waist and chest, but that fact I didn't care for. The blue had caught my eye and I wanted it.

I snapped off the price tag that hung from the wrist cuff of the left sleeve and removed the jacket again, on a mission now to find a deep blue shirt to match. I stopped for just a second, surprised with myself. I had wandered this country for so long alone, not caring for anyone or anything, especially when it came to clothing, but here I was, just five days with Alice and already I was trying to colour match my clothing.

I chuckled softly to myself and unzipped every bag upon the rack but these only contained more suit jackets. I returned to the boxes, moving at speed now as I became more determined.

After four more boxes of trousers and shoes, I finally came across a box of new shirts of many different colours. Red's, green's, purples', even a yellow one, but my eyes were intent on the deep blue that I found in the middle of the pile, and the shade matched the jacket lining perfectly.

I removed it from its cover and shook it out to it's full size. Again this would be a little big on me but I did not care. I lay it with the jacket and awkwardly removed the black tie that Alice had gotten me to wear. I then removed the black waist coat and started on the torn green shirt.

The fabric rubbed against the healing bite upon my upper right arm as I removed it, and I tensed under the feeling as I dropped the old shirt to the floor. I lowered my eyes to check the injury. The jagged tear where my arm had part torn was still visible just a little and the bite that had caused the tear stood out dark against my pale skin, it would be a couple of days before it faded to be like my many other scars. I dropped my eyes to my left wrist where the bite I had done myself was still fainter than it had been.

I turned and picked up the blue shirt, pulling it on carefully and buttoning it up, leaving the top button open for now and almost enjoying the sensation of clean fabric against my skin, and at least this shirt did not have the scent of human upon it like the other had.

I tucked the shirt into the waistband of my trousers and picked up the waistcoat, replacing that on my body also. I glanced to the black tie, still unsure on how it was meant to go or what its purpose was. I glared at it offended before stuffing it into my pocket and picked up the black jacket instead.

Once I was redressed, I crossed the room to the long standing mirror against the far wall and stood before it to see how I looked. I watched myself for a moment, amazed by the transformation. A few days ago I had looked like a bedraggled street sleeper, and now I looked like a rather high standing gentleman perhaps of some authority and I smiled at this thought.

The door opened almost silently behind me and I turned expecting it to be Alice, but before I was completely turned, a slight breeze entered the room bringing with it the scent of human. My eyes raised to the lady that stood in the doorway, able to feel her surprise at having found someone in the room which was meant to be empty.

Her eyes scanned me a moment until they met my own eyes and I felt her curiosity turn to fear in less than a second at the sight of my crimson eyes. She drew in a fast, sharp breath to release a scream, but I was faster, drawn in by the scent, the sound of her beating heart, the sound of the blood pumping through her body, and the blackness crossed my eyes once again like it had with the hunter in the forest.

I crossed the distance in less then a second and sank my teeth deep into her throat, cutting her attempted scream off into a gurgle as the sweet, hot, blood drained down my throat, quenching the thirst as it went.


	24. Chapter 24

**This Time Is Ours**

**Jasper POV written by Nat Whitlock Wood**

**Alice POV written by Lesa Masen Cullen Goncalves **

**Chapter 24 - Alice POV**

I slid the zip back up on the fur coat garment bag, and pushed it aside, the smile still on my face. I liked it when Jasper was happy especially after today's events. Maybe if we could just put all that had happened behind us, there was a possibility that I could prolong the feeling in him for at least awhile.

I reached for the next bag on the rack and lowered the zip. It was a red silk cocktail dress, nice, elegant, I ran my hand over the fabric, so smooth and fine, there was no human scent on this garment that I could detect and I reached inside the neckline to see if there was a label, but as I stared at it, it was then that the colour reminded me of blood, no, definitely not a good idea right now, with Jasper still so fresh from having to feed from the humans. I quickly re-zipped the bag and moved on to the next.

As I placed my hand onto it, my vision started to cloud. Jaspers face filled my view, his eyes blazed a fiery crimson, a wild snarl on his face. I blinked furiously to break the vision, I didn't want it to take me away from reality for a second longer than was necessary. Jasper was in danger somehow I was sure, a sense of panic started to fill me as I instantly dropped my hands from the garment bag, span around and headed out of the door he had left through.

I opened it and his scent hit me along with the distinct smell of human blood. I leapt down the full length of the staircase in a single step so much was my haste to get to him. I quickly looked to the right, the door was still closed, but the one on the left was ajar, I took a quick step forward so I was right in the open space just outside of the doorframe. I looked left and froze.

As I turned so that I was fully standing in the doorway, Jasper looked up from where he had had his head buried in the neck of what looked like a woman from the long auburn hair that was hanging down her back.

He blinked at me twice and then his mouth started to turn into the snarl I had seen in my vision, but he must have regained some control for a second as our eyes locked, as it did not materialise fully. At the same moment, he released his grasp on the human and the body fell in a heap to the floor with a thump.

As I stood there motionless, my eyes narrowed as I stared at him, his eyes were the deepest crimson, and I could feel the anger mixed with fear hit me in a flash. I was not sure as to whether it was my own or Jaspers, as I was angry with him in that instant there was no denying it.

He took a step over the body towards me, my hand shot out and caught him full on his left cheek with a resounding smack before he could even put his foot down on the floor. He froze then too just as his foot made contact with the floor, as I quickly pulled my hand back and instinctively took a step back out into the hallway. A look of pain crossed his face but not because I had hit him I was again sure, but because of what my action had represented, a rejection.

I was trembling again, the fear, anger and now disappointment all mixed together were vying for control. I clenched my hands together in front of me to try to stop them from trembling, and took in a deep breath, although I grimaced as the fresh stench of human blood was still thick in the air and although it did not make my throat burn as badly as I knew it did to Jasper's there was still an ache there, a small one.

'Alice I…..' Jasper tried to say, but I held my right hand up palm towards him to stop him.

'Don't say anything, not yet, I'm too furious at you to even think straight right now!' The words came out a little more vehemently than I wanted them to sound.

I let my hand drop to rest at my side, and stood for a moment glaring at him my left hand still curled tightly into a fist. His face still had a mixed look of shock and anger over it. The shot of anger I had been feeling started to ebb, but the situation we were now in once again had me frustrated.

I looked down then at the body slumped on the ground behind Jaspers feet. I walked towards him and he moved a step aside, maybe he was afraid that I would strike him again, but I bent down and rolled the human onto its back so I could see better. I held in my breath as I did so as the blood scent stirred in the air.

As I had suspected it was a young woman, early twenties I would have said judging by her face, her long auburn hair spilled out across the floor as I had turned her over. She was wearing a white cotton shirt and black linen jacket and skirt, the name of the store embroidered on the breast pocket. A small trace of blood was visible on her neck where I interrupted Jasper before he had completely drained her.

I stood up straight and turned to face him, 'Right,' he flinched at my tone, I was still angry and I just wanted to get us away from here now as quickly as possible. I listened for a moment to see if I could hear any movement coming from anywhere around us.

'I presume she was alone?' I asked sharply.

'Yes, she took me by surprise,' Jasper looked at the floor as he spoke, he was obviously feeling totally ashamed at what he had done, but I was still angry and frustrated and I expect he could feel it coming off me in waves.

'Um, not as surprised as I was when I saw a vision of the look on your face, I thought you were in danger!'

I took another reluctant breath, his eyes flicked back up from the floor to mine ' And what do I find? You're only a danger to yourself and this woman!' I flung my hand out to point to the girl.

'Now we need to dispose of this and get away from here and then I'll deal with you!' I stabbed my finger towards Jasper.

'Pick her up and bring her upstairs.'

Without a further glance at him, I turned and started to walk back up the staircase to the next floor. I heard a slight rustling as he picked up the limp body from the ground and as I reached the top of the stairs I turned and glanced quickly behind me to see Jasper following with the woman slung over his shoulder. I walked back across the room and to the rack of garment bags, I took the one which contained the fur coat as it was slightly longer than the others, unzipped it and removed the coat and hanger from it.

I laid the bag open out on the floor.

'Put her in here.'

He lowered her off his shoulder, she fell limply to the floor over the bag, I took hold of the edges and closed them around her partially covering her as I reluctantly took hold of one of her wrists and manoeuvred her arms so they were across her chest so that the top half of the bag covered her completely. Jasper silently pushed her legs up towards her chest so that she was completely covered by the bag and I zipped it up.

'I thought my days of having to do this were long gone…..apparently not.' I hissed under my breath and I looked up at Jasper. I was slowly beginning to lose the sharp edge of anger that had possessed me earlier, but not completely.

'Alice, I'm sorry,' Jasper said as he took hold of the centre of the bag and once again lifted it and threw it over his shoulder.

'Hmm, I'm sure you are, but that doesn't make this right does it?'

I turned away from him once again, the feelings of remorse he must have been having at that moment penetrated my concentration. We made our way back up the final staircase and back out onto the roof. I took off eastwards back towards the part of town where the warehouse was that we had been in this morning.

As we jumped over the rooftops, I looked down into the alleyways to find a suitable place where we could hide the body. As we were about half way back, I looked down and saw a sufficiently large dumpster in the alleyway below.

I motioned Jasper to stop moving and pointed down, the rest of the alleyway was already strewn with fragments of discarded rubbish, so it looked like it had not been disturbed by any human presence for a while. I silently jumped down from the roof to land beside the dumpster, and opened the lid. A disgusting odour reached my nostrils of rotting vegetables.

I quickly motioned for Jasper to drop the bag into the dumpster from above. I held my breath as I watched it fall and land with a loud thud. Throwing closed the lid I looked around to make sure the sound had not attracted any attention. The alleyway was still. So I turned and swiftly scaled the building behind me. As I reached the roof Jasper had already leapt the gap between the last building and the one we were now standing on.

'We need to get back inside, we are too conspicuous out here now,' I said as I could hear the voices of humans in the distance and the noise of vehicles moving up and down the towns streets. I took Jaspers hand, I was still angry inside, but I couldn't bear the distance that had seemed to have come between us at his recent actions.

We quickly made our way across the remaining rooftops and I caught sight of the faded sign of Johnson's on the side of the abandoned warehouse, I noticed on the top floor there was a large window where the glass had long since been broken, at least this time we would not have to descend onto the street to enter the building.

We jumped onto Johnson's roof and with one quick check around to make sure no-one could see us, I let go of Jasper's hand, leapt over the roof-edge, down the wall and swung in through the window frame into the top floor. Jasper quickly followed. I took a few steps forward and turned to face him.

'We should be okay here for a while, at least there are no humans around….. Now,' as I spoke I folded my arms across my chest as I stared into Jaspers face, the anger was almost gone now I had had time to calm down but frustration still remained.

'Explain yourself'.


End file.
